Stolen
by Iluvia
Summary: Rachel and Finn have been married since High School but one day she comes home to find him going at it with a girl. it ends in a fight...few days later later Finn leaves Rachel and LA kidnapping their daughter. how will Rachel get her daughter back?
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my new story to "replace" Empire State of Mind."**

**Summary: Rachel and Finn have been married since High School but one day she comes home to find him going at it with a girl. it ends in a fight...few days later later Finn leaves Rachel and LA kidnapping their daughter. how will Rachel get her daughter back? And how will she deal with the allegations or being violent and abusive? Angst, M for smut and language and lots of Puckleberry.**

**All the usual; I own nothing but my imagination.**

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><p>"<strong>Stolen."<strong>

**Prologue**

The house was quiet apart from Gracie playing on the floor. Happy again. Last time he'd seen her, her mother had stood in front of her posing a very real threat to her life. Now she'd be safe. He'd take her to the end of the world away from her mother and his wife. He looked at the pile in his hand. The divorce papers. He'd signed them and he'd leave them behind for her. One final strike against her to set him free.

He'd been caught in this life for too long and he needed to break free. Run wild. But he needed to take his daughter with him. He had to make sure she was out of harm's way. He was sure she wouldn't be here with her mother.

"Gracie." She looked up at him her big brown eyes filled with trust. She looked every bit like her mother. The expressive eyes and brow, her soft olive skin and slightly wide mouth. Four years old he felt he missed too much of her life already but he refused to overlook this; her mother's abuse. "We have to go." Gracie looked around at her toys.

"Can I bring my toys?" he felt tempted to say no but felt unsure of her reaction. He didn't have much time. Her mother would be home soon and he was sure she'd kill him if she knew he was taking their daughter. But he had to! He couldn't leave Gracie to be raised by this insane person her mother had turned out to be. The girl had already suffered enough. He felt guilty. Anna and he would provide for her now. Anna would be a great mother he was sure. She was a bit young but she'd pick it up.

They would be happy. He knew it. They'd build a home with real love and not this fake one he had shared for the last 11 years. He'd look at the pictured around him and feel hollow. They weren't real. Nothing here was.

"Sure, baby. But we gotta hurry."

"Why? Aren't we waiting for mummy?" He shook his head forging a master plan.

"We're gonna go surprise her at work. Wouldn't you like that?" Gracie's face lit up in a bright smile.

"Yes!" He felt a jab of pain. If he had his way, she'd never see her mother again. Like any other child she loved her mother endlessly. But children didn't know what was good for them, Anna had said. He was the parent sane enough to do something about this. He needed to take action.

"Hurry up then," he encouraged her forlornly. She picked a few toys and handed them to him.

"This one." It was a raggy doll with dark hair. "Is my favorite." She'd had it since birth. He remembered when he and her mother had made it together sitting on the terrace while pregnant. He took the doll with him to Gracie's room and packed a few things as well as the doll. Rushing through the kitchen he placed the divorce papers on the kitchen table as he yelled to Gracie.

"Put your shoes one, baby." Gracie did as told and stood by the door ready to go. He glanced at the clock. They had 10 minutes then she'd be here. He took Gracie's hand. "Ready to go?"

"Yes, daddy." Opening the door, he led Gracie out into the sunny late afternood. It felt sad and good at the same time. He was nervous. This was serious. He was taking their child and beginning a long fight for justice. He quickly stuffed her in the car buckling her into the child's seat. Anna was in the car already waiting.

"Hey sweetie." Gracie regarded the young woman with reservation. Could she remember?

"Hi."

He rushed to the driver's seat. He fumbled with the key in the ignition and couldn't get it in. Anna placed a hand on his.

"Finn," he looked up into her eyes. Smoky blue. He loved her eyes. "You're doing the right thing." He nodded and the key slid into place.

"I know. I'm doing this for Gracie."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Opening her eyes she felt a void that had been growing inside her the last three days and only grew bigger with every minute she was disconneted from her child. The bind she shared with her baby felt like it had been torn at by that bitch he's run off with. How did she ever think she had the right? She'd kidnapped her family; her husband and her child to the end of the world in a car no one had owned or were missing. To a place where no one had TV or cared enough to connect the images on the screen with the three people travelling across the US.

Finn she could live without. Their marriage had been dead too long for her to remember when it was really ever alive. Hadn't it all really just been a teenage fantasy? Gracie however she couldn't live without. She'd hardly ever spent more than two days at the most away from her child. Now it had been three and she was losing her mind. She didn't live in a fantasy world; she knew she'd always been intense at time probably borderline insane to get where she wanted to be. But this insanity was born out of loss and grief mixed with worry and fear.

She sat up rubbing her eyes, stretching her sore body. She'd slept on her chair on the terrace overlooking the beach and sea. The only place she could sleep. The sound of the waves could for short intervals of time keep the fear at bay so she could catch a few hours of sleep. She didn't fear for her child's life or welfare as such but she feared she'd never see her beautiful little girl again. Finn was a descent father. He'd been busy most of Gracie's life working at the garage he had here in LA but he'd never been distant or unable to connect with her. In the right mirage he'd most likely be a great father and a loving husband. Just not with her.

Finn had served her the divorce in a heap of neatly folded papers placed on the kitchen table. Such an important emotional decision neatly placed; clinical and distant nothing that mirrored the pain and tumult it really was. At first she was upset, crying, screaming and sobbing trying to call him. She wanted to kill him for being a chicken. How could he end 11 years like that? Throw away 11 years of their lives without having the decency to look her in the eye?

But then another reality shook her world. He wasn't coming home. He'd not only left her but he'd left their home in LA as well as the home they had in New York. And he'd taken Gracie with him. She'd called every single person they both knew to ask if they'd heard from him or any of them had Gracie. Only two people had seen him within the last 24 hours; his colleague, Ben, and Gracie's nanny; Olivia. They were just gone. She'd called the Police; hysterical and insanely difficult to understand. She kind of felt sorry for the two detective that came to her house. She'd been pacing, crying, yelling, screaming, howling and begging them to get her child back. In the end her agent assistant came to make sense of it all. Emma was a Godsend but nothing could ease her could have prepared her for the devastation to have your child taken from you and least of all when they person you'd shared your life with for the last 11 years was the perpetrator.

A knock on the door had her fly up and almost fall over own legs to make it inside to open the door. Maybe they'd found Gracie. She pulled the door open only to reveal a man and a woman standing outside in suits looking like Mulder and Scully. She barely even took the time to look at their faces the only thing on her mind was her child.

"Can I help you?" She snarled making the two raise an eyebrow. The man calmly cleared his voice before talking.

"Are you Rachel Hudson?"

"Berry-Hudson," she corrected them out of habit. The man nodded politely. He had steely grey eyes that clung to her face to read every expression and emotion.

"I'm agent Fowles and this is my partner agent Perry," he gestured towards the woman. Rachel didn't care about their names. She gave the woman a once over; red head with honest and direct blue eyes that regarded her with a reserved arrogance, Rachel thought.

"Have you heard anything about my daughter?" she interrupted impatiently not allowing the man to go on. He looked a little taken back with her brisk tone but then smiled politely.

"No, ma'am. We haven't but-" he was cut off by a annoyed sigh from Rachel who crossed her arms defensively over her chest.

"Why haven't you found her yet? You could find that car thief who hid in a dirt pile for a week but not my daughter?" She didn't care that they shared a look no doubt one of concern for their own safety. She knew the look of people regarding you as insane. Finn had worn that look so many times now she was immune. "What do you get paid for?" she rattled on unable to stop herself. It wasn't these two people's fault she had lost her child but she couldn't hold it back. It was like word vomit rising in her throat like bile; bitter and vile and she had to get it out. "How can it be so hard to track them down? They must have used money? ATMs, their phones, been seen." The woman held up her hand.

"Mrs. Berry-Hudson." It sounded stupid like that, Rachel thought. She was used to being called Berry on anything else but official papers and now; by the Police and FBI. The tone of Agent Perry's voice stopped Rachel from raging on. "We have found something." Hopeful of good news Rachel let her arms drop and her big brown eyes sparkled for a moment with hope. "Can we come in?" Rachel stepped aside to allow the two inside her home. The big and airy Malibu house her and Finn had fallen in love with the moment they stepped out of the car. The house bore evidence of a happy family. Pictures all over of them all together, smiling. It was all a lie. They'd been too good at smiling at the cameras instead of each other.

"Do you want coffee?" she managed to ask in a moment of sanity realizing she probably needed to be somewhat polite to these people trying to find her daughter.

"Yes please. Black." Rachel nodded gesturing to the kitchen. She preferred the kitchen to any room in this house. This was where she'd been the most. She'd loved to cook for her family and then they'd used to sit outside on the raised terrace overlooking the beach and the sea. Now it was depressing and hollow filled with memories that were all lies. Finn had long stopped loving her. Much sooner than she'd stopped loving him. Their story all over again. But at least she could hear the ocean in here and walk out on the terrace whenever she wanted to.

Rachel quickly made three cups of coffee and then sat down opposite the two agents. In the last few days she'd been familiarized with representatives of the law like never before in her life. Until now she'd hardly ever talked to a Policeman. That had all changed.

"So what have you found?" the two agents exchanged another look and Fowles took a sip of coffee leaving it to Perry to explain to the raging Hollywood star that her life was about to go ape shit. Perry was unfazed. She was 48 years old and had worked many a kidnap case in her career and specialized in cases like this; a mother and a father in disagreement over the child. One of them running away with the child to hide it from the other hurling numerous allegations at the other parent to rationalize their action to kidnap the child in the first place. She could deal with this one just fine and he could tag along learning the ropes.

"Mrs. Berry-Hudson," Perry started politely and with an even and calm voice that came with routine. "Your husband, Mr. Hudson, left you for another woman, Miss…" Perry searched her notes but she hadn't needed.

"Miss Avres," Rachel's brisk voice filled her in coldly. She was so different from her movies, Fowles mused. She always seemed so bright and bubbly but this person was so harsh and cold. He figured being left and having your child taken from you could do that to even the warmest and nicest person in the world. Perry nodded and went on.

"We have been informed that she and your husband have filed a complaint against you for assault and child abuse?" Rachel's head snapped up; her eyes were burning with rage making her look insane. She looked unkempt and her eyes were red brimmed with black bags under them from lack of sleep. Her hair was greasy and messily pulled into a ponytail but most had escaped the hair band and framing her face by sticking to her oily looking skin. Small blemishes covered her forehead and chin. She looked thin and worn out. Nothing like the sensation that was Rachel Berry; famous actress, singer and Broadway star.

"They what!" Her voice boomed in the big kitchen and she pushed off the chair unable to sit still. The information washed over her sparkling the all familiar cord of fear. Fear she'd never see Gracie again. Fear of life losing its spark without the little girl in it. She paced back and forth waiting for the agents to answer her as she kept starring at them like it was them personally who'd accused her. Perry stayed calm and Fowles felt sure they could handle this. The woman wasn't insane. She was grieving. Although the two were familiar in behavior.

"Your husband and Miss Avres filled the complaint yesterday morning in New York with the Metro Police. This is both good and bad news," Perry continued eager to calm Rachel down. Fowles knew enough about people to know that was a battle lost. Rachel reminded him of a pacing tiger filled with rage ready to strike. Her shoulders were up and her steps held a tense but graceful spring in them as she paced over the floor. Back and forth.

"How can this be good news? I have been accused of abusing my own daughter!" Rachel shrieked at them and a tear rolled down her cheek. He felt sorry for her. This was his first kidnap case and Perry had warned him it was hard. When someone took a child it was always a nightmare. A parent without what they loved most in the world was a dangerous and rash individual. They were unpredictable and would do anything to get their child back. One day they'd be in town sans their child, the next they'd be gone and never heard from again. The FBI did have a good success rate with these cases and Fowles was the best but even she'd lost a case to a rash parent running off in the night to kidnap the child back and disappear. He hoped Rachel wouldn't do that. He figured it would be harder for her as she was so famous. "I have always taken care of her while he was back here to screw this whore of his. I took her everywhere to be near her. Not to abuse her. I have only had one nanny to make it as stable for her possible. And we were settling here in L.A. so she could start school in a few months," Rachel rattled on defending herself. He felt even more sorry for her as the sadness was etched on her features and more tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn't care at all if they saw her cry. She didn't try to hide her feelings. She wore them proudly. He respected her for that. "We were gonna be a family now. He wanted to be close to her again now that the garage was going well. He wanted to have another child," she sniffed and stopped. "I guess it was all a lie he told me to come home. I wanted to move to New York with her. Not here," she gesture randomly to indicate the house or maybe L.A. "But we agreed to live her and sell the New York apartment."

"The good part is, Mrs. Berry-Hudson-"

"Call me Rachel, please," Rachel interrupted with a frustrated sigh. "I don't wanna hear his name."

"Okay," Perry smiled warmly. "The good thing is we know they passed though New York." Rachel blinked and croaked her head to the side processing the information. "For the charges to stand they have to come forward for the investigation. They will have to produce evidence to support this complaint." Perry took a deep breath. This was crucial. "They explained to the officer they were leaving town to protect themselves from you. They fear for their lives because you assaulted them both." Rachel furrowed her brow looking confused.

"Assaulted them? When? The report must say," she asked a bit more calm now.

"On the 23rd. They claim you came home drunk from a cast party to find Mr. Hudson in bed with Miss Avres. You then became so worked up you assaulted them both and put your child in danger."Rachel hiccupped with shock and stopped pacing, her mouth agape.

"A what?" They both knew it was a rhetorical question but Perry repeated anyway giving Rachel time to process the accusations. "Assault, really? _I_ threatened them?" Perry nodded.

"According to this report. But we are more than eager to hear your side of the story," Perry said remaining calm despite the stormy expression on Rachel's face.

"This is _HER_ doing!" She started to pace again waving her hands in the air as she talked. "I did come home that night but not from cast party and certainly not drunk. _They_ were drunk and going at it on the sofa table. They had had a party here the night before and the house looked like shit. I had been in town all week, working. I wasn't supposed to come home till the morning after. I wanted it to be a surprise. Clearly was," she added bitterly. "I wanted to be with Gracie. I found them," she took in a deep breath to cage her rage. "Like that. Fucking in our home like it was theirs. Like she belonged here. In _MY HOME_!" She stopped and looked out over the terrace and water. "I was upset. Who wouldn't have been? I slapped him. _She_," she hissed the word refusing to address her by name. "Got hysterical and started screaming at me that I had no right. I was the one who'd been away. I'd left this long before he found her. I should be ashamed to hold on to this. I should accept him and her because she was the woman for him," she couldn't hide the disgust in her voice even if they couldn't see her face. "She's fucking 19 for God's sake. What does she know about life or being a woman? I told her and him to get the fuck out. To leave. She refused saying she'd call the Police. That they had every right to be here." Her shoulder's tensed up as she turned to face them again. She looked harsh and hateful. "_SHE_ have a right to be in my house? To take my husband and live here? I was livid." Fowles didn't have a problem imagining her livid. White with rage. Not unlike she was now. "I wanted to hit him over and over till he could feel what I felt," she confessed without regret and her anger grew making her eyes black as she relived the memory. "But I told her if she wanted to call the Police I thought that was a brilliant idea so I could press charges for trespassing. She started to scream at him to tell me I was insane. I wanted them out. I said a lot of things in anger. I don't remember most of them. I never thought I'd know hate but I did just then," she turned again calming herself by wrapping her arms around her small body. She looked small and frail all of the sudden. "She refused to leave. He just stood there like he always does. Refusing to be a man. He let us yell and scream at each other till Gracie woke. She came out crying and calling for me. I couldn't yell in front of her. It didn't matter what my coward husband had done or with who. Gracie shouldn't have heard any of all that. It wasn't fair on her. We're both her parents," her voice was hollow and distant. She was silent for moment looking out no doubt reliving the night in her mind. After a little while she continued. "Miss Avres ran to Gracie telling her calm down and that she was here and I lost it. I pushed her away from my daughter. That vile woman was **NOT** gonna pick her up and comfort her. Miss Avres fell and I picked up Gracie. She was hysterical. All I cared about was to calm her down and stop it all. I told Finn to take his whore and leave." Rachel sagged her shoulders in contained rage. "Miss Avres started to scream and rant on about me being violent and insane and that I'd kill them and all sorts of things. She ran around like an insane chicken pulling at Finn to do something. When she ran for me and Gracie I put down my child to protect her. I pushed her behind me. I hit Miss Avres when she was close enough. That calmed her down. Finn rushed to her side and started to scream at me that I was insane. Completely crazy. He wanted to take Gracie with him away from me. He said I was an unfit mother and he'd fight me for her. I didn't wanna fight him. She needs her dad. She came for me so fast. I thought she was going to harm Gracie. She looked like she'd kill someone. She was so worked up about all this. What does Gracie matter to her? She can have my husband for all I care but why my child?" she almost whispered the last part sadness making her voice break and she looked up to hold back the heavy rush of emotion. it felt like her chest was going to collapse from the pain. The kitchen was quiet but for the sound of the waves outside. "She took my child," Rachel said brokenly covering her face with her hands sobbing violently. Her whole body was shaking from sorrow. Perry let her cry for a little while sipping her coffee.

"But Mr. Hudson and Miss Avres didn't report this here in LA?" Rachel turned around to face them.

"No. Finn called me two days later. Monday. He wanted to meet up and talk he said. I agreed to meet here. I came home to find the divorce papers. No Finn and no Gracie. He'd come by telling the nanny she could go home and then paid her. She said he seemed nervous but I'd told her before we had a huge fight and that a divorce was on its way so she figured that's what he was nervous about. He was never the best with confrontations. But he didn't wait for me. He left with Gracie. He took our daughter. I wasn't going to fight him to see her. I was here in LA to stay. She needs him as much she needs me. I was happy he was looking forward to spending more time with her. Even if he and I had grown apart."

"He was in New York Wednesday morning. Most likely they drove to some airport and then flew to New York where they filled the report."

"Does it say in details what I am supposed to have done to my daughter?" Rachel asked uncaring about the details of Finn and his whore's journey to New York. She figured they'd skipped town already. Who knows where they'd gone then? Perry nodded slowly.

"You sure you want to know?" Rachel nodded determinedly, a hard expression on her face. Fowles had to give it to this woman; she was strong. Most women fell apart unable to focus on anything but their child. Rachel hugged herself again. "You are said to have struck your daughter on numerous occasions, verbally abused her, locked in her room to control her and," Fowles knew what the report said. He was glad he didn't have to read them to Rachel. Perry cleared her throat and fiddled with the paper. "Have, erm, encouraged your husband to have sex in front of the child while she was fixated in a chair." It was dead silent in the kitchen as Rachel stood still unmoving unable to process these wild accusations. Her life was ruined. There was no chance in hell anything would ever be normal again. She would be the next Michael Jackson; no matter what the court said it would always hang over her. She'd never get Gracie back.

She felt so lost and alone. Her dads were coming but what would it help? Her friends were doing all they could but there was nothing she could do to make that go away. "Rachel?" Perry called her back to the present. "Do you recognize any of this?" She opened her mouth several times to answer but no voice came. How could she be accused of something so insane? She cleared her throat, tears in her eyes.

"This is insane."

"Do you recognize any of this?" Rachel finally woke and her whole face contorted into rage.

"Do I recognize to have abused my own child? Do I recognize to have acted inappropriate in front of 4-year-old daughter?" Her chest heaved with every breath and for a moment she looked like she was gonna go amok. Perry shot Fowles a look. She saw the same as he did. Rachel looked like a lioness pressed into a corner with only one choice left; attack. She then looked up chest heaving heavily, tears in her eyes again. She managed to rein herself in with inhuman strenght.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask you this. These are serious allegations. It's nothing personal. We are bound-"

"I fucking know that!" Rachel yelled at them. She was so tired of listening to the law enforcement's lame excuses of being obligated by the law. Fuck, she hated the law. She hated it all right now. Where was someone fighting her corner? When would this insanity stop? "Stop saying that! I hate it. I fucking know you're not doing this as a personal insult. The first 20 of your kind have reassured me that. But this IS personal to me! Ever insane accusation you're making on his behalf, the law or that slut is PERSONAL! It's my life you're tearing apart. My daughter has been kidnapped by my dubious wuss of a husband with some insane 19-year-old college student who barely know that first thing about life and you're telling me this isn't _personal_?" She was barking like a mad dog now, Fowles thought. But she was fighting. Yet again she impressed him. She wasn't wallowing in apathy or despair. She was fierce and angry. Detachment would have been a warming sign. This was of course personal. Fowles made a note on his pad. "Do you have children?" A classic. Rachel was looking to make them sympathize with her situation; she was negotiating her position. Perry nodded.

"I have two boys."

"Imagine if their father ran off with them." Perry nodded.

"I understand your situation is frustra-" Perry stopped herself reading Rachel's expression. Frustrated wasn't the word. "That's you're fighting an impossible fight. But I have to ask. These allegation are serious. We have to take them serious. If you have done this Mr. Hudson had every right to take his child and move it from the danger you'd pose to her well-being. We can't take sides, Rachel. Our main concern is your child and her safety in this." Rachel took a deep breath. She was still alone.

"I understand," she said curtly looking down at the floor.

"So do you recognize any of these allegations?"

"No, of course I don't recognize them. I have never and will never lay a hand on my child. Or accept that anyone else do. I have never locked her in her room. And I have," her whole face skewed up with anger and disgust making her look ominous. "NEVER acted inappropriate sexually in front of Gracie or fixated her in a chair to watch me have sex with my husband." It took a lot to even answer the accusations. She was repulsed even at the thought. Her face clearly mirrored that. She felt sick. She could barely contain her sorrow, frustration and fear. She felt sick. It all came up so fast she only just managed to turn her head to the sink before bile rose in her throat so fast and bitter she felt like her heart came with it. she wished it would so this pain would end. She coughed and spat, tears rolling down her cheek. Fowles got up and came to her laying a hand on her back.

"Are you okay, Rachel?" She shook her head. How could he ask that? How could she be? Her soul was torn into pieces and the most important one was missing.

"No. I want her home and safe now." Fowles got her some water and she rinsed her mouth the best she could trying to get the bitter taste of fear out of her mouth but little did it help. A barrier the size of the nation was rising between her and her child and her life would never be the same.

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><p><strong>Lemme know what you think :)<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks HEAPS for you reviews! :D This chapter will explain a bit more - but not too much. And Puck's here :) **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

The sun was rising and all she could do was sit on her terrace and stare out over the water. The beauty of the sun casting its first rays over the water as dawn was settling, was lost on her as her mind had only one thought. Where would you go if you left to not be found? Where could Finn have taken Gracie? Were they still in the US or somewhere completely different?

She knew she had to let the Police and the FBI do their work. They knew much more about tracking people down and the two agents had ensured her that finding her child was a priority equal to a senator. But she couldn't stop thinking. She had to do something. Sitting around and waiting wasn't her style. She was a woman of action not apathy and idleness. She was used to handling her life. Finn had never really had a say in much over her. She'd decided on the movies and projects she wanted to do and he'd nodded and made the time to come see her as much as he could.

But then Anna Avres came into his life and it all changed. She was certain that their affair had started about 6 months ago when she'd been home for a whole month to work in LA. They'd been fighting a lot then about where they should live. In the end they'd settled on LA. She'd for once given in but not for him – for Gracie as usual. He'd seemed different after that and unwilling to take the time to come see them in France where she'd been shooting after her short time home in LA. He'd gone almost two months without seeing his daughter and wife. Never before had he gone that long without them despite that the garage was going better now than ever. No doubt Anna was to blame for this change.

She found it hard to believe that Finn had done this on his own. She was even sure he'd have stayed with her had she actually come back and settled in LA making their marriage about the both of them. He'd have made the effort if she had. But he'd become distant and vague after she'd left LA again. She couldn't help blame herself. If she'd been more of a wife this would never have happened. If she'd worked more in LA and not around the world, her daughter would have been here with her and she'd have the marriage she had wanted since high school.

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><p>Finn was lying on his back looking up at the cracked ceiling above him. This was the worst shack he'd ever had to stay in. No doubt he'd been used to the good life with Rachel and her money but he didn't consider himself neither vain nor too good for the simple life. He prided himself with being a good and solid man without the need for luxury and pampering. He still preferred to camp in a tent than the fancy hotels they always stayed in. But this shack was actually worse than a tent. The wind blew in through every crack and chased every amber warmth from the air. Why had they gone here of all placed in the middle of winter?<p>

He could hear the wind howl outside and he wished they'd stayed in New York. Even if it was cold in February in New York it was nothing compared to this cold out here on this Godforsaken small spot of land. He imagined being home in LA in the sunshine and warmth but it only served to make him feel even more cold. Anna stirred beside him. She seemed unfazed by the cold but he figured she'd be used to it from growing up here. He rolled over to his side and put an arm around her warm body. Hugging her curvy body to his he felt a bit warmer. He wondered if Gracie was cold. She was in the room next to them. It was a better room and a lot warmer than this one.

He contemplated to go see if she was alright but it was too far to walk in this cold. He was sure she'd call out if she needed anything. She was good at that like her mother. Demanding and temperamental but that was gonna change now. He'd make her normal again and not a Hollywood brat she'd become.

It had been hell with her since they'd left LA. She's been tired and irritated. She wanted her mummy. As much as Gracie was used to travelling Finn had realized he'd hardly ever travelled with his family. Always joining them at the shoots, never travelling with them. And when Rachel was home she preferred to stay at home and relax. He could only remember one actual holiday they'd gone on; a summer in Lima with her dads.

Gracie cried most of the time, was sullen and complained that she was cold. She wanted to go home and kept asking for Rachel.

Anna kept insuring him it was normal; she needed time to adjust. He wasn't so sure.

Burring his nose in Anna's honey blond hair he thought about Rachel. She had to be going insane by now. Three almost four days without Gracie. But she wasn't fit as a mother, he reminded himself. He was doing this for the good of their child and he couldn't let his feelings for Rachel get in that way of that.

You'd think he'd hate her; she practically left him years ago, keeping him caged in a marriage she was no longer a part of. He had wanted to file for a divorce when Rachel had gotten pregnant. She'd taken the time and he'd given her time thinking she'd change and settle but the time spent in LA doing - nothing in her mind- had instead made her more restless and at the end they were both going insane. She'd left taking Gracie. He knew she'd worked hard to get where she was now but he wanted a family and a wife who cooked him dinner, made love to him at least once a week and raised their children at home. Not one that travelled around the world not staying in one place more than a dew months. Gracie had seen more of the world in her 4 years of life than he had in his 29. She needed to settle down now and have a stable life in one place.

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><p>Her door bell rang at exactly 6.09 and woke Rachel from her chair on the terrace. At first she felt disorientated but reality quickly came rushing back weighting her body down and she forgot about the door. It wasn't till the second time the bell rang, she got up and crossing through the house as fast as she could she looked at the time. Who'd be here so early? If the FBI had had a lead they would have surely called her. Coming to the door at this time, could only mean one thing; it was bad.<p>

She unlocked the door with a heavy heart. Outside in the early morning sun stood a tall and muscular man wearing sunglasses that reflected her poor appearance. She hadn't looked in a mirror for days. She looked ragged, torn and positively wild. He was wearing a tight grey t-shirt that could barely contain his chest, the dog tag worn with pride over it. He had a duffel bag over this shoulders in the classical green army design.

"Holy fuck, Rachel. Baby." She would recognize his soft voice anywhere. Noah. Tears were in her eyes before she could stop them and she threw herself in his arms. She didn't care if she looked like she was dead. He was her best friend in the world and he was here for her now. She couldn't get a word out only croaks and sobs. He understood and hugged her to him as tight as he dared. He knew what Hollywood was like. Photographers everywhere. He threw the duffel bag inside letting it slide over the stone floor, and then he picked her up hugging her small body to him. He had nothing to say to her. He couldn't imagine what she was going through but he was determined to be there for her while she was going through it.

Closing the door with a kick, he felt a bit better. Hearing her over the phone unable to form actual sentences had been torture. He'd hung up telling her he'd be there as soon as he could.

And here he was. She clung to him like a baby monkey and he let her. He'd get her to take a shower in a minute.

Then he had the time to go through the files of the case. He'd already acquired them as a favor and knew most. But he needed her story. He had to help. He'd never be able to turn her down. She didn't even need to ask. They had something precious and special and he'd run to the end of the earth barefoot for her.

He kissed her cheek.

"Baby, you need to shower. I'll make you some food." She sniffed and unwrapped her legs from his body all of the sudden feeling a bit shy and silly. He picked up on that immediately. It was scary how well he knew her. Lifting her chin with a finger he looked her straight in the eye. "Stop that. I'm here and we'll fix this." She nodded slowly. She knew he'd make things right. He always did. "But you need to shower first and you need food. You look like a stick. Not like there were much of you to begin with," he added with a loving smile and wiped the tears from her cheeks. The gentle gesture only made more spring to her eyes. She'd needed him so bad in the past few days. "Hey, honey. Don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry." She nodded but the tears kept rolling down her cheeks, big and heavy. He wrapped his arms around and she started to sob again.

"I need you," she sniveled, her voice broken and filled with such sadness it broke his heart. He couldn't believe Finn would take Gracie away from Rachel.

"I'm here for you. You know that. But sweetie, you really need a shower." She nodded and looked up at him taking a small step back. He placed both hands on her cheeks. "I will find that idiot and you'll get Gracie back. He already made a huge mistake in taking her." More tears. My God he had to stop making her cry. He wiped them with his thumbs as they fell. "You'll get your baby back. Now go shower or I'll carry you out there." She didn't move and a small spark of the old and playful Rachel appeared for a split second. He couldn't help but smile. "Don't you dare me. We've already had this particular conversation." She shook her head.

"I'm not…" her voice trailed off and she looked in the direction of the bathroom. "But there's so much of her stuff in there," a fresh bash of tears started to roll down her cheek. He wondered for a moment if a person could die of dehydration from crying.

"Want me to take them somewhere else?" She furrowed her brow but didn't answer."Want me to help you?" She avoided his eyes embarrassed. She couldn't ask him this. This wasn't the kind of friendship they had. She'd made sure of that staying guiltily faithful to Finn.

He took her hand and uncaring of her feelings about this walked her to the bathroom. He hadn't been in this house that many times mostly he'd been catching up with her over Skype, go see her at the shoots or when she was in New York. He loved the New York apartment they had. It was small and cozy not like this castle of a house that could house a small army platoon.

Turning the lights on in the room, she pulled away from him gently. There was a big tub at the far end of the back wall and around it lay Gracie's toys. He could easily imagine the little girl sitting there playing, singing and inventing her own games. She pulled at his hand. She didn't want to go in.

"Noah…" she practically begged and he turned around blocking the view so all she could see was him. "I mostly only stayed on the terrace," she explained meekly.

"Don't worry. I'll pick them up." She stood hugging herself as he picked up the toys with a sad expression. He carried them to Gracie's room and laid them in a pink box. He didn't stay in there longer than he had to. His main concern right now was Rachel. He needed to get her in shape for this. Starving herself and not sleeping wasn't very constructive and it would only make things harder.

She had taken most of her clothes off by the time he came back and stood only in her bra and panties. Laze panties he noted. He could now, couldn't he? Finn had left her and she was technically single which meant he wasn't a complete pervert. He stepped past her and opened the tab. The warm water shot out and he put his hand under the spray to make sure it wasn't too hot for her. Having adjusted the temperature, he turned around to face her again. She looked tiny and frail. He hated seeing his beautiful and wonderful Rachel like this. He'd beat up Finn when he found the idiot.

"Take your time," he said rubbing her arm with a rugged hand. She nodded meekly as she looked at the water. He didn't want to leave but he couldn't stay either. He'd be taking advantage of her in this sensitive stage. "I'll make you my special." Her eyes left the water and travel to his face with a stolen expression.

"I hardly had any food since he took her."

"I know." He felt an awkward pleasure in being with her when she was practically naked next to him. Not the first time he'd felt this way. But this time the feeling was mostly overshadowed by his concern for her mental state as well as her physical health.

"Then start now," he placed a hand on her hip letting a thumb glide over the hip bone. "You're too skinny. I liked the more womanly Rachel." She blushed from the rush of blood his touch started. Like he kick started her heart. She hated when he did this; it always posed the dilemma she refused to deal with.

"That's why I need you," she confessed brokenly. She blinked rapidly as she tried to hold his gaze but the first tear made her close her eyes.

"And that's why I'm here." He engulfed her in a bear hug kissing her hair. "I'll get you fit again."

"Like one of your soldiers," she said quietly.

"Not really. I've never hugged one of them or made them a bath." A small chuckle from her made him smile.

"No?"

"There was this once..," she made a light jab at his abdomen. "Okay okay. Just for you then, babe." She looked up and met his eyes with a sensitive and yet strong look. How did she do that? Be so weak yet so strong?

She knew what he meant and had meant for a long time now. All of the sudden she felt naked with him, bare and even if she knew he'd never take advantage of her she knew it was cruel to flash what he wanted in front him and still not be for the taking. She had that much sense at least. Letting go of him she took a step back.

"I know you'd only do this for me. You're my knight in shining armor as always here to save me." She could feel his reluctance to let go but they had to. They needed to find Gracie not get caught up in their old webs. He nodded and took the hint.

"I'll let you soak…" He touched her arm gently once more and then left. She breathed a sigh of relief. She knew this was only going to complicate things but he was the only person she wanted here with her. He was her rock. He'd been the one to step up when Finn stepped down. He'd been the constant in her life; on the road like herself most of the time but they always found the time to catch up. He was truly her best friend.

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><p>His mind was going a million miles a minute. Finn had left LA in a car rented by Anna Avres's dead mother. The girl had persuaded an elderly lady in need of money to rent that car for them with the ID of the dead woman. Undoubtedly Finn had paid with Rachel's money. Then they had driven to the Berry-Hudson resident where Finn had told the nanny it was fine; she could go. The nanny had left felling anxious and worried. Rachel had already filled the nanny in on the episode that had led to this. From the file Puck had read that the nanny had been worried because it seemed so out of character for both her employers to fight like this. Of course there had been ups and downs in the mirage and she'd more than once been an involuntary audience of their fights. But it had never been violent between them. They'd always made up. Puck knew that already from his long talks with Rachel, exchanges of emails and when he met up with her. Their mirage was distant and void of contact and feelings. Gracie hadn't even been able to change that.<p>

Puck had over the years kept in contact with both of them. Finn had been his best bud in High School and when he asked Rachel to marry him Puck had thought they were unrealistic about making it work but he'd been happy for them and supported their choice. Finn had no clue how demanding a life with Rachel would be. When they moved to New York, Puck had joined the Navy but would often receive nagging phone calls from his mate. Finn was happy with it all at first, excited about New York, school and screwing his wife endlessly. But then things had changed; Rachel had made it and all of the sudden she wasn't struggling to get recognition and needing Finn to stroke her ego. She now struggled to keep up with her new and demanding life as an actress on Broadway. She took Finn for granted and already back then he'd been thinking about leaving her. Then she got pregnant. It was an accident and Finn wasn't too happy about it. He wanted children but he wasn't sure he should have it with Rachel. But like always Rachel made the decisions and nothing could persuade her to get rid of the baby. Finn gave in – as always.

The summer they moved to LA it was all good. Puck visited them and hated the house but he loved seeing his two best friends happy and he fell in love with little baby Grace. So much like her mother; how could he not love the little girl?

But now she was gone. Finn had driven her with Anna to Salt Lake City and from there they'd flown to New York. They'd acted fast enough making sure Rachel didn't call the Police in time for them to be stopped.

Once in New York they'd filled the complaint against Rachel claiming she was an unfit mother and that they had to leave LA to keep Grace safe. They had rented a car near the airport but had exchanged it for an old Pickup on their way north. He felt unsure how far north they'd go but it made sense to go north; Canada and Alaska. And from there with the right connections and money they could travel into Russia and beyond. But something told him Finn wasn't ready to give up on being American and disappear into Eastern Europe, Russia or even China.

Puck figured they were hiding in Canada with contacts here in the US to provide them with information on the case. They'd most likely acquire new identities and move back when the worst media storm had blown over. That's what he'd do anyways. The US was a huge place to hide and people quickly forgot.

He wanted to go to New York. He had to follow the lead they'd left. He felt certain neither Finn nor this Anna were clever enough to hide all their tracks. After all they were just two people running from what they thought was a threat to their lives. Even if it was silly to fear Rachel.

He wondered if Rachel would go with him to New York. He was pretty sure she would. She wasn't a suspect so she could go as she pleased and as it was in her best interest to keep in contact with the Police all she had to do was keep a phone at her at all times if they even had to leave the US.

Anna and Finn could have stayed in the US and just made a detour to throw the law enforcement of track. There were so many places to hide these days; national forests, parks to mention the most secluded and least patrolled areas. Small towns, villages, border cities and the like. They could be anywhere. He wished he knew this Anna girl better to predict where they'd most likely be. He'd gotten good a reading people. He had to be in order to do his job. Then it'd be easier to try and find that one person that acted as their contact. He felt certain someone was helping them.

The sound of her bare feet over the stone floor had him look up and smile. She'd put on a clean pair of jeans and a loose t-shirt. She'd let her hair hang loose and her face was void of make-up.

"Sit." He ordered gently. She did as told sagging on the high stool at the table. He pulled out two plates and poured the food on them. Placing one of them in front of her she looked little interested. "You have to eat. Starving yourself isn't gonna make this easier. You have to keep strong for Gracie." He handed her a fork and a steaming hot cup of coffee. "Eat."

"You sound like you're talking to one of your trainees."

"Whatever makes you eat, honey-bun." She pulled a face at the silly nickname but took a sip of coffee. It was so hot it burned all the way down and it made her cough. "Easy there." He started to eat sitting down opposite her. "Eat."

"Then don't call me honey-bun." He grinned.

"Okay. If it makes you eat some." She picked up her fork and started to eat her eggs. He'd made her loads with toast and some fruit as well knowing she'd not wanna eat the bacon he'd made for himself. They sat for a while digging into the food. He watched her and made sure she ate at least something. She ate all of the fruit and most of her eggs but left the toast.

"Did you look at the case?" she asked when she felt so full she was about to puke. Her stomach had barely had anything but coffee the past days and now it was in shock at the amount of food it now contained. He regarded her and the still half full plate but then nodded.

"Yes. I pulled both the FBI and Police files. I know about the same as you about where they went with Gracie." Even the name made her look sad. It had been Finn who wanted the child to be called Grace after his grandmother. "But," he tried to sound optimistic. "I had a buddy pull Anna Avres' file for me. The FBI are looking into Finn but I think it's safe to assume that he's not the master mind behind this." He chewed a piece of bacon while he thought about it.

"Why is it you always have some buddy of yours pull these files?" He gave her a cheeky grin.

"A lot of people owe me favors. I could call them what they really are if you like but I have a feeling your delicate little soul isn't about to embrace the dark life I lead." Rachel sighed dramatically.

"You make it sound like you're a terrorist. You're not." He shook his head.

"No, baby. But I am not always one of the good guys."

"You are now." She reached for his hand and entwined her fingers with his. "I don't care how you get the information. I'm just happy you're here." He lifted her hand to his lips turning it over so he could kiss her palm.

"We'll find her." She nodded. Now that he was here she believed it.

"How?"

"We're leaving for New York this afternoon. I got us booked on a flight from LAX at 4.15." She nodded. It made sense to follow in their footsteps. "Then we track down the car rental firm and the man who they swapped car with. Luis LeVern. He lives in New Jersey and was travelling back from a trip to Quebec."

"You think they went to Canada?"

"Most likely. Somewhere north of the border. They're probably biding their time to return to the US. Get new identities and then move somewhere far from LA or New York. Somewhere they wouldn't be noticed and you'd most likely never look for them. Probably a town like Lima or smaller. He could set up a business and Grace could go to school like any other normal kid." Rachel nodded in acceptance. Is wasn't a bad plan. "Or they are already back here in the US and have only appeared to travel north as a decoy. To make us look that way and forget to look right under our noses." She nodded again tears filling her eyes in despair. They didn't know where to look really, did they? Her baby could be anywhere and the more time that passed the more time Finn and Anna had to hide her. Puck got up and walked around the table. He hadn't let go of her hand and he wrapped his free arm around her kissing her hair. "I know babe. It all seems lost but don't worry. Finn is an idiot and unless this Anna is a genius, everybody makes a mistake. Most make more than one." She wrapped her arm around him burring her face against his chest. She loved how he smelled; distinctively male but with something soft about him. His scent calmed her down a bit. He was stroking her hand with his thumb and she felt a spark inside her spring to life. An all too familiar slow burn of forbidden passion.

"I should pack some things," she said trying to make him let go of her. She was weak and she needed him and she knew if he took the initiative she'd fall unable to hold back her need to be close to him. He knew that, too. She could read it all over his face. These feelings weren't new but she had always claimed to love Finn more. She'd been lying for so long. He'd known but he knew her too well to think he could change her mind about anything or make her admit to her feelings. She'd give Finn one last chance.

"Yeah," he said clearing his voice but he didn't move away from her or let go. "Pack normal clothes. Not all your fancy shit," she shook her head. "No irons for your hair, no dresses or anything cute. Jeans, hoodies, sunglasses, caps. You need to blend in. if you're spotted it's gonna screw it all up. And then I'm leaving you behind in New York." She was about to protest. "Nope, babe. You're not coming along and be recognized everywhere you go. You leave LA today and you better look like trailer trash. If you wanna find Gracie then this is the way."

"Okay. But all my winter stuff is in New York."

"Pack light then and we'll pick it up in New York."


	4. Chapter 4

**So here's the next chapter. Thanks as always for your reviews. It makes my day to read how much you hate Finn and all the (slightly) disturbing things you wanna do to him, hehe :D **

**I made a reference to my absolute all-time favorite tv-show. I couldn't help myself. This chapter is mostly about Puck and his life. Enjoy :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

**NEW YORK**

When Rachel had seen their New York apartment for the first time she'd felt it was something special. It was much smaller than what they'd been looking for at the time but it had a feel of history and personality. Placed in Gramercy Park it was bit too far from Broadway but hadn't dissuaded Rachel from buying the place. Claiming it was mostly for her anyways she shot down Finn's protests about the place. He didn't like it and wanted something more modern. Rachel and Kurt had both found it chick and quaint and none of Finn's protests had been taken seriously as Kurt had offered to decorated the place while Rachel and Finn looked for a house in LA. So she made sure Finn loved the LA house instead. New York was her city – not his.

Tumbling through the door now, she felt an odd but welcomed sense of home. This was her real home; this small odd apartment with multi leveled floors and a horrible view. It didn't matter where it was really; it was in New York; her dream city. She'd made it here and this was where she truly belonged. A tear slipped down her cheek. Gracie loved being here, too. It was Finn who wanted to live in the sunshine of LA.

Rachel had always felt that LA would spoil Gracie. Too many movie stars, producers and the like from the industry's kids. Rachel believed Gracie would benefit from being around normal kids and not that she doubted these kids were living in LA but she just felt New York was a better choice. Not that Rachel had any real objection towards her daughter making it in the industry but she felt that the choice was Gracie's to make – not neither Finn nor hers. Just like Rachel's choice had been her own.

Puck dumped his bag on the floor and looked around.

"Let's get come heat going. I need to call some people. Got a connection for the internet?" Rachel nodded feeling tired. She figured she'd cook for them while he worked. They'd flown out of LA this afternoon after Rachel had packed up what little gear she had to pack that was suited for winter and being anonymous and then she'd called her assistant Emma, telling her she was leaving for New York. Her instructions to Emma had been clear; to anyone in the industry she'd gone home to Lima to wait for the Police and FBI to find her daughter and cry in the arms of her family. To the FBI and Police she could be reached on her cell and she was in New York. She wasn't running away. Just doing what she could.

Emma had expressed her worry that Rachel was leaving. Wouldn't it look like she had in fact run? That she had something to hide? Wouldn't staying in LA not prove her willingness to stay put to a judge when Gracie had been found and the mud throwing began? Rachel's answer had been clear; They'd have to find Gracie for any impression of any kind to b made, for any trial to begin and she felt sure Finn would run with his tail between his legs rather than face jail time.

"The code for the internet is in the office on the white board. Are you hungry?"

"Always," he muttered as he was digging out his laptop being careful not to show her the logo.

"Pizza?"

"Sure." He scurried to her office leaving her on her own. She'd stopped crying after he'd fed her. The void in her heart and soul was gnawing at her all the time but somehow the resolve of getting out of LA, of being on the road made it a bit better. A bit. Enough to make her stop bawling and stare into space all the time. It also helped that he was here and seemed in control and sure they'd find Gracie. "I'll be out in a bit," he called over the shoulder. She nodded solemnly even if he couldn't see her.

On the plane they'd been going over the files and the case. She felt like she was in a movie; it was unreal to go over the facts of the case and ponder the possibilities of the choices Anna and Finn had made. Where had they gone after New York? And would they stay there till this blew over? Their best hope was that they went on the move and someone recognized them and called the FBI.

It was all over the news. A missing child usually made it on national TV but a famous movie star's child being taken by her husband most certainly did. She hated that it was mainly because it was good story; the broken mirrage of a movie star loved all over the world (more or less) resulting in a kidnapping of the husband who'd run off with a younger woman. Her image had cracked and the family idyll had been spoiled by hard reality. She wasn't perfect and she, too, like any other, had troubles and a life under the surface. Now it was however all out in the open. She'd done everything she could to keep her private life private.

Rachel sighed feeling exposed. She wanted to defend herself but there was no time to loose on this. Finding Gracie was her main priority and she'd have to deal with rectifying her lost image afterwards.

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><p>He dialed up 'his contact' feeling a bit uneasy with her so near. He had a secret he wasn't ready to share with her and he felt uneasy and sneaky for being this way. Normally he'd share it all; he'd shared details of his missions he wasn't supposed to needing to unload and talk to someone who had no clue what being caught in gunfire or left behind enemy lines did to you or knew that this was expected of you to be able to cope with. She'd always listened and been the best friend he could have asked for.<p>

But he had a secret and he had to keep it from her. This one he couldn't tell her. He knew it would freak her out and that was the last thing he needed right now. Maybe later he could tell her.

"Puck my brovah," her voice broke the monotone ringing sounds. "You already fucked up?" He couldn't help but smile.

"Nope. I'm in NY. Did you get the file on Anna Avres?"

"'Course I did, Pucker-rone," she answered sarcastically and in her native accent making 'rone' sound more like 'rwone.' "And I'll say I'm intrigued."

"Oh-oh," he said dramatically. "That's not good."

"No," she replied flatly. "It took me some digging to get this. It appears that Anna Wendy Avres didn't exist till she was 10 years old. The file in the system is an implemented file that was loaded into it 8 years ago. But, before that she'd doesn't exist."

"That's odd." Puck wondered what on earth this could mean. "Can you see who implemented the file?"

"Nope, level 6 clearance."

"Wow. That's like national security."

"Yep. You are digging in very dirty sand, Puck."

"Hmm," he hummed a little hesitant. "What did you find?"

"When she was 10," she continued with a smile in her voice. She loved digging places she shouldn't which was why she had the job she had. He felt safe having her on their side. "She appeared at the Mulholland Middle School in the spring of 2014. I pulled the school file but mostly she had good grades, the teachers described her as quiet and eager to work. She went onto high school. Same description and then she entered the UCLA in the Social Science department taking classes in Anthropology. The FBI interviewed her professor who said Anna was a 'nice and intelligent girl who wanted to continue her studies in criminal anthropology or criminal psychology.' And he was sure she'd make it any ways she wanted to."

"Does that tell you something?"

"Loads but nothing more than the usual. She might have an abnormal interest in death or crime from past experiences or she might just want to work to solve crimes to feel good about her job. Hard to tell with this little to go on," she said almost sullenly. Puck knew it meant she'd crack the code of the psychology behind the problem. "Either she laid low to avoid registering on anyone's radar or she was just a mousy type, good with her work and that's it. Not everything is an abnormality," she sighed.

"Who else did the FBI interview?"

"The interviewed her roommate, Meryl Scott. She described Anna as hard working and always slaving over her books or talk about Finn. Meryl said and I quote; 'Anna was obsessed with two things and her biggest one was this guy Finn she dated. She said he was married but he'd leave his wife who was some Hollywood slut who was never home. I didn't care who she was. Anna was that type of girl that wanted things intensely. She didn't have hobbies as such but was always working to get better. She only came to parties when Finn blew her off to be with his wife and kid. Then she'd get really drunk and cry and it usually was me who had to take her home. It sucked. I don't know why she even bothered with a guy that old. She was pretty. She could get most guys.' That's an interesting statement. The roommate says the relationship between Anna and Finn begun about a year ago. They'd met when she needed her car fixed and continued on from there. They fought a bit – mostly about the wife and when he'd leave her. According to Meryl, Anna couldn't understand his reluctance to leave his wife. Anna said that the wife had checked out a long time ago but he wanted to give it a chance because she was coming back to stay in LA," she hesitated and stirred some papers around and clicked the mouse a few times.

"Yes, Scully? Continue…"

"Sorry, mail from the boss. He's none too pleased with your personal time."

"What's new about that?"

"Nothing. Just thought you should know so you'd feel guilty. I'm bored without you."

"I gave you work."

"Not the same," she huffed. "Anyways. This Meryl girl was at Anna and her room the night Anna came back from the fight with the wife and Finn. The roommate describes Anna and I'm quoting again; 'She looked like someone had kicked her in the face. Her jaw was swollen and she had a black eye. She was hysterical and kept calling Finn and yell at him. He was clearly upset as well and in the end he came to see Anna. I didn't leave. Anna wasn't exactly my friend but she was really upset and I needed to make sure she was okay. They were talking about calling the Police but Finn kept saying that Anna had attacked Rachel. That Rachel had acted that way because she was scared. Anna kept screaming at him and in the end he gave in and agreed to call the Police. They left to go to there and that was the last time I saw her.'" Scully stopped and she seemed to think for a bit before she continued. "They never did report this in LA but rather waited till they were in New York."

"Why?"

"I guess either it took her that long to persuade him or they knew they could only use this as a stall. They needed to implicate Rachel as a bad mother. It just seems a bit rash. This wasn't very well planned. This case is all over the place."

"You think it's a decoy?"

"I don't know actually. That's for you find out Puckerman."

"Where would you start looking?"

"I'd start with the rental car service and then the man they swapped car with. Either might have facts while I dig through this. Might take me some time. I have to bribe some gentlemen," she chuckled.

"Did the interviews with either flag anything?" Scully dug through the files on her table and he could imagine her chew her lip in concentration.

"The only thing I see as a flag is the guy they swapped car with Luis LeVern's description of the little girl," she said hesitantly. "I'm not sure. But, he seemed to have studied the little girl a lot. I mean he probably saw her on the News yet he waited for the Police to find him. Was in bribed? It might be nothing but might be worth to check-"

"Noah?" Rachel's voice called out from the kitchen interrupting Scully. "What do you want on your pizza?"

"You didn't! You brought her with you?" She voice reached a pitch that could make dog's ears bleed.

"Heya, easy there Scully," he tried but it was too late.

"How can you bring her into this? This might not end happy. You know that! What's your plan? To be there and she'll fall into you? MY GOD, Puckerman! I should refuse to help you. I swear this is that worst you've pulled to date," she barely had time to breathe as she berated him. "What if anything happens to her? She's not just someone you can bury this time."

"Okay! I get it. I shouldn't have brought her along but I couldn't leave her. She'd end up worried to death."

"Better than actually dead from some crazy stray bullet. You have no idea what these people are like. This Anna person might a psychopath for all we know."

"Hardly."

"Puck," she said with her last thread of patience. "You have no idea. You work alone or with a partner. She's not trained. She's an actress for God's sake. You're used to rely on professionals. You can't do this. You're letting your feelings for this woman run you. You'll lose perspective and mess up."

"I won't." He sounded resolute and determined even to himself. He felt like it, too. He'd make this right. "I will find Finn Hudson and if I can't drag him back to the US for prosecution I'll make sure we bring back Gracie."

"You're too close to this, Puck," Scully warned. "You shouldn't have gone yourself. You should have stayed with her in LA and let Anderson handle this one."

"No. I'll be fine. The fact that it's personal means I won't screw up. I won't fail her," he said with icy conviction. She sighed frustrated with his pigheadedness. "Just keep digging in the files on Anna and help guide me on this. That's what I need from you. I have to go now." He hung up before she could voice more protests at his rash choice. "Coming, baby," he called out to Rachel and closing the laptop he hadn't had time to use, he looked for a place to hide it. He put it in one of her drawers under a stack of paper and then went out into the kitchen.

"Loads of meat," he grinned to her. He stepped in behind her to look over her shoulder as she was studying the folder. This was where he belonged and he wouldn't screw this up.

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><p><strong>Lemme know what you think :)<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks all for your reviews! :D I'm sorry it took me this long to update but as it is sometimes I get stuck (okay I admit I was watching the shole series of Sex and the City. Wow, that's good show!). I have rewritten this chapter like 4 times now. Still not fully satisfied with it. But I hope you enjoy! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Puck looked at Rachel. She'd fallen asleep by now and all he could do was run a repeat of his conversation with Scully. Her hard and the point voice echoed through his mind. His fair European partner always bordering on illegal was always right. She was probably the reason he did so well at his job. Fierce, crazy and brilliant and kept him both sane and on track when he steered from it. She had been his professional savior.

He looked at Rachel. She looked frail and beautiful with the sadness etched into her features. She was so used to the show-face and the fakeness of Hollywood now it seemed to have all drained from her leaving only a miserable and very real heartbroken mother.

She'd been coping on the way to New York; being busy kept her mind from wandering into no man's land of what if's but after they had eaten the pizza and Scully had sent some new information for him to go over she'd been left on her own again and she'd sunk back into a catatonic state of grief. She had spent hours just looking out into the snow falling outside the windows. Her face streaked with tears as he came back into the room. He tried to comfort her but they both knew it was a lost cause. How could he? He was already doing all he could finding her baby. Scully had sent a small fraction of interviews and noted from the various investigators on this case she'd felt would be of use to him. It was nice that the FBI, LAPD and NYPD were doing the hard work and that Scully would weed out the lesser information so all he had to do was process the last pieces to paint the final picture. Scully was good with sorting information and weed out bits and pieces she felt was an overflow but he was the one to really connect them. The question in this case that bothered him was where had this Anna girl come from? Why were her records concealed with such a high level of security? And did that matter to this case at all? Was Anna's past relevant or a factor he was wasting time investigating? He had a feeling it was relevant so he stuck to it. His instincts had been right almost every time before. That was the reason he'd been hired to do this job. He had unbelievable good gut feelings and he stuck to them with a mix of good investigations skills and a level headed attitude. And, he'd been to where the action was hard, filled with bullets, hard choices and never like in the movies. That was why he could and would help Rachel no matter what Scully thought about it.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair ruffling it up as well as massaging his skull. He did that when he was trying to pick out a strategy. Usually for work with Scully not on his own with Rachel.

She turned over and mumbled Gracie's name. It made his heart ache. He felt better knowing that at least they could get moving on the case in the morning. The end of sitting around and doing nothing. For all the information in the world, going out and doing something felt much better. He wasn't good at staying at the office going through piles of paperwork and plotting for their next action. He was the up and run kind of guy. Scully was the determined and analytical one who could poor over files for days.

Staring down the clock it revealed that it was already past midnight. He got up and out of the chair as he turned off the TV. He walked the few steps to her lying in a fetal position hugging the blanket to her chest. He bent down and sat next to her on the floor on his knees bring his eyes level with her face.

"Babe," he tried softly placing a hand on her shoulder. She sat up straight away with a confused look clearly ready to bolt.

"Did they call? Gracie?" She looked around frantically and then finally settled on him. Hope sinking. He felt so bad he could almost hear the little chips from his heart dropping to the ground breaking into even smaller pieces for her.

"No, baby. I was gonna," he tugged at a loose strand of her hair. "Put you to bed." She nodded resigned with a collected pout bottling it all in. He hated that she felt she had to. She swung her long tanned legs out over the edge and stood up next to him. She took a second to gather herself reminding him of a graceful widow in the old 50'ies movies. He stood and she turned her head but looked down at his hand rather than his eyes. He couldn't stop himself even if he'd tried; he put his arms around her and hugged her to him engulfing her sadness with his protection.

She sighed against him but she didn't start to sniffle or cry. She just stood there soaking up the warmth from him and the comfort he offered. The only sounds around them were the distant street noise of the usual sirens that seemed to be the theme song of the streets of New York. She missed the sound of the ocean but he sound of his heart against her ear was a good enough substitute blocking out the sounds of the forever busy city.

"Take me to bed, please," she croaked out. Her voice sounded so hollow and listless even to her she felt sorry for him; he had to listen to her.

"Okay," he answered simply and before she could pull away from him he scooped her up in his arms and walked to the bedroom. She didn't protest. What was the point? She rested her head against his strong arms and closed her eyes.

He set her down as gently as had he been putting down an infant. She rolled over facing away from him and lay on her side taking up the same fetal position as she'd been in on the couch still with her eyes closed. She wanted to sleep and make tomorrow come faster to keep her busy and get one step closer to finding Gracie. But she didn't feel like sleep would arrive any time soon. Her mind now awake again was already propelling a mile a minute going over and over it all. What if she'd come home early and had the time to talk to Finn? What if she'd actually come home and been his wife? What if, what if, what if…

He stood for a moment gazing at her form sensing her restless mind feeling bad he'd woken her knowing how hard it was for her to sleep. He couldn't make himself walk away from her. If she couldn't sleep he would at least keep her company. He crawled onto the bed his weight making the mattress dip and she turned around to peer up at him with questioning eyes. He shook his head and then lay down behind her hugging her body to his chest. She didn't fight it merely entangled her hand with his intertwining their fingers with a deep sigh. He didn't need to tell her why he did it. She knew. It wasn't the first time he'd comforted her this way. Other times like this it had been the hardest fight not to give into him. To give him what they both wanted but now her mind didn't focus on the feel of his toned body but rather on the fate of her child. He became a human buffer protecting her but not distracting her.

"I can almost hear the wheels in your head turning," he said breaking the silence between them. "Wanna share?"

"I'm just going it all over and over and over. What if I'd been less selfish? What if I'd done more to be with Finn? What if, what if, what the fuck if…" She sighed resigned. "It's all good for nothing. Sitting around doing nothing is driving me insane." He nodded against her neck and she could feel his lips on her skin as well as his soft breath as he exhaled. It gave her goose bumps and made her temperature rise despite her mind telling her to let it go. This wasn't the time to get excited over Noah. But a fire all too familiar was already spreading through her loins and the old song between them started to hum through her. "Distract me," she said in a low rasp. He ran his lips over her heated skin ending with a soft kiss behind her ear.

"Rachel, baby. Not like this. You know how I feel. I want it all." She sighed in frustration tears already running down her cheeks as the biggest what if ran through her mind's eye; what if she'd chosen Noah over Finn when she wanted to? What if she'd given in the moment she fell in love with him rather than sticking to her husband? He hugged her tighter to him gently rocking her body in the same rhythm as his heart beat.

"She could have been yours," she sniffled unable to keep it all. "I wish she was."

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><p>Looking at the car in the faint moonlight he considered picking up his daughter and run. Leave this Godforsaken place where even angels would think of warmer place down south. Leave Anna. Leave and never look back. They'd gotten their new identities today. Anna's contacts working faster than lighting, a burly looking man had been to the house today with them.<p>

They were now Mr. and Mrs. Gordon and Jessica Marsden, citizens of the UK with their little girl Louise Marsden. They were free to travel on from here now through Canada, Russia and into Europe. It was what they had to do, wasn't it? With a European passport they could travel and live in all the European countries as they pleased. He looked at the passports. It was their ticket out of here. Forever away from Rachel. They had been advised to hide at the outskirts of everything and pick a country they could learn the native language in rather quickly and also one where the US seemed far away. According to the burly man the Police and FBI thought they'd return to the US in a while and live there or stay up north and settle in Canada.

He looked at the car one more time. It beckoned for him to do the right thing. To go back and give his girl to her mother where she belonged but he shook his head. It was nonsense. Gracie was better off without Rachel and the limelight of Hollywood. They'd give her a chance to be normal now. To have a normal life and not end up like other Hollywood children like those poor kids Michael Jackson left behind or that Tom Cruise girl. No! They would give her a better life.

Gracie was crying all the time now. She wanted her mummy. She wanted to call her, see her, write her. But Anna had been strict. They were moving to a new life she'd said. Gracie was now Louise and they were never coming back to this place and to her bad mother. Little Louise was free now from all the bad things, Anna had said over and over till Gracie stopped trying to argue and sullenly stared into space. He felt bad for her. How could she see how bad her life with Rachel been? How spoiled she was?

He closed his eyes and drew in a long breath. This was the only way.

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><p>Henry Reines was an elderly man with soft brown eyes that reminded Puck of an old bear sitting in the sunshine and enjoying the rays of warmth. The man was well into his 60'ies with grey hair and a gut that proved he had a love of food. He stood a mere 5'5 off the ground and probably the same in width with a round friendly face covered in a grey stained beard.<p>

"How can I help you?" He asked with a thick northern accent. Puck fished out his ID and the man made big eyes at him. "Wow, the FBI," he stammered. "The Police were here just a few hours ago." Puck nodded and Rachel fidgeted with some gum next to him.

"I know. That's why I'm here."

"It is?" Henry asked with wide eyes. "I told them everything I know. I gave them the surveillance tapes as well." Puck nodded again.

"I know Mr. Reines. We're not here because we think you lied or withheld anything. Don't you worry," Puck said with a perfectly reassuring smile. The man looked pleased and let go of a breath he'd been holding letting his shoulders slack yet again. Not a good posture, Rachel noted.

"Then how can I help?"

"Was this little girl with them in the car?" Puck showed Henry Reines they picture of Gracie and he nodded.

"Yes, I already told the Police that."

"Was she looking hurt?" The elderly man shook his head.

"No, not that I notice. I'm sorry," he looked at Rachel and he noted the red rimmed eyes and hopeful look. "I didn't think anything of this. To me they seemed like a family going up north to be on vacation. He said he had a few cabins he had to stock up but apart from that nothing else. I'm sorry, ma'am. I wish I knew more." Rachel nodded and Puck reached for her hand where Henry Reines couldn't see it. He gave it a squeeze.

"Thank you. We'll come back if there's anything else. If you remember something else," Puck gave him a number. "Call this number and ask for Agent Scully." The old man picked up the card and nodded.

"I will."

Leaving the small store, Rachel sighed. She felt like crying again. They had interview the car rental guy Marcus the day before. He'd been young and couldn't tell them anything new. Finn had rented the car with, paid in cash and Marcus hadn't seen neither Gracie of Anna.

Then they had tracked the guy they had swapped car with, Luis LeVern. He'd been at a seedy bar around the corner from his house pissed in more than one sense of the word. Anna had done the swap wearing a very low cut top and she'd been so sexy Luis LeVern - who was a born loser now into his 40'ies and probably 10 years from his last sexual encounter – had been completely blinded by the hot 19-year-old girl who'd suggested they met up in New York. She'd even given him a number and he'd called it right away to make sure it'd ring through. It had. He'd been on a low buzz of beer as he had been coming home from a fishing trip and he hadn't noticed neither Finn nor Gracie. Swore there had been no sign of them as they had swapped cars for a staggering 500 dollars Anna had paid him right down in his pocket coyly fondling him into a semi hard state.

He'd been stopped by the Police and they'd taken the car so now he drank the 500 dollars up. And would Rachel like to fuck? Puck had almost punched him but Rachel had politely declined the offer and instead paid out the poor man's tab before they left.

"Hey, we'll find them. My partner is working on this the hardest she can."

"I know. But this was clearly better planned than we thought," she whined. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Letting go of her hand he placed his arm around her. She fit just perfect into the nook.

"We'll get them. Don't worry. They'll slip up." He wasn't too sure now. Two days Scully had been working on this and she had been running her pretty little head against a wall as she tried to hack her way past various firewalls, security passes and what not.

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><p><strong>I will try my best to type up the next chapter a bit faster :)<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey all! As always thanks for your reviews and reading my story :) Next chapter will be a lot more Puck and Rachel. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**WASHINGTON D.C  
><strong>

Her finger ran over the keys like an expert piano player seeking out various programs and entering codes into a system she knew all too well. The reflection of the screen in her glasses in the darkened room revealed that she'd been working for hours in the small confinement of her office. A variety of silver foils from the all American Oreo lay next to her all empty among endless stacks of files spread out over the big oak table. There were three computer screens on the table all conducting one task; getting into the files of Anna Avres.

She leaned back as the computer yet again gave a non-confirmative beep. She couldn't break this shit. She started to spin on her chair in a childish manner. It made it easier to think she had always found. Spinning around and around the facts of the case did the same in her head. Anna Avres. Finn Hudson. Rachel Berry-Hudson. Gracie Berry-Hudson. Hollywood gone bad. Husband abandoned by famous wife in a disconnected mirage. Husband meets lover. They run off. End of normalcy. They steal the little girl. Why? They could easily have stayed in LA and worked out the common custody. The fight that had occurred in the Berry-Hudson home hadn't been that bad. A few bruises and bumped egos. Had Anna taken all from Rachel to get even? It seemed so petty. She'd already taken her man. Why the girl? Anna was young enough to have children of her own. Was the reason linked to these secret files of the deepest CIA? Or higher? She stopped spinning facing away from the screens of the computers. Who could have something like this done? The president? She shook her head mentally. Anna didn't look like illegitimate child of Obama or Bush for that matter. It had to be a bit lower but with the same power. Military? Area 51? Some high ranking general slash war hero the whole of America owed their lives?

She spun around and looked at the computer. The list of such people couldn't be very long. Who had accompanied the little girl as she popped up in California? Scully dug thought the files on the table sweeping most others to the floor as well as the empty packs of Oreos. Running her eyes down the original file she wasn't surprised that the girl had been listed to have lived with Mr. and Mrs. Avres. Both had died some years after when Anna was 17 in a car crash leaving the girl to take care of herself. The parents had left a sizable sum of money for their only daughter that had made sure Anna didn't need anything else but a guardian from Social Services to check up on her. She'd lived on her own. How could that be? Why hadn't she thought of that before? The Social Services.

Scully stared at the computer and then she quickly loaded the social service site. Pulling a list of employees was easy; Mary Anderson. The name blinked at her. My God she'd been stupid. She'd been so focused on cracking the computer code she'd forgotten people could talk.

She glanced at the clock as she started to pack up her lap top. She could make it to LA by morning and catch this Mary Anderson on her morning shift. Pulling the woman's details she quickly gathered up the few things she needed. She had a bag packed in her car with the essentials. Gun, passport, fake ID and real ID, unmarked bills and money enough to make it to LA. If this case was this deep in the system she needed to make sure they didn't look at her. They'd figure out fast enough Puck was helping and then they'd turn to her. Fuck. They were probably already screwed; she thought as she threw on her coat and left the office. The deep of the digital lock clicked and she didn't look back as she hurried along the corridor. She had to get to LA and fast.

Taking the elevator up to the parking lot floor, she felt uneasy. She'd been digging thought a lot of firewalls the past few days. If there was truly a conspiracy behind this Anna Avres' mysterious pop up in LA 8 years ago, she was sure they'd be watching the case still. No one could know these things. It would only fuel the fires of conspiraciest that the American government held a hand over the high and mighty.

The underground parking lot was dark and abandoned. It was 4 in the morning. A few scattered cars were parked there. Some of the agents to use, some agents' as they were using the rentals. She spotted her own black Sedan 30 feet from the elevator entrance and she quickly crossed the hard cement floor her heals clicking with an echo she felt would wake all of DC. She felt like bolting and running to her car but she knew it would pop up on the video cams. They were being watched. An agent in her position didn't run to her car. She had no natural enemies and in this very building she'd be as safe as the president herself.

She had to leave cold Washington now for the sunshine of LA and pick up the trail of Anna Avres' buried story. Someone always knew something about someone no matter how much any government tried to conceal it.

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><p>Puck's phone rang breaking a long silence between him and Rachel. She was freaking out and he tried to keep her sane. Not an easy job. He ignored her stare and answered his phone. It was Scully.<p>

"What's up partner?"

"I'm in LA. I have news." He looked at the time. It was 8 in the morning. She had moved fast.

"Wow, you're up already."

"Shut up. I couldn't break the codes which got me spinning," she talked fast. It had to be some news for her to sound so out of breath. "When Anna came to California she came to live with her parents; Mr. and Mrs. Avres. Rebecca and John Avres. But," she made a pause to catch her breath. "Those records I could hack into with ease. No one seemed to think to protect those files too well. Before Anna popped up in the system at age 10 John and Rebecca had a child named Anna. Only," she hesitated and he could hear her unlock a car. "Anna Avres died in an accident when she was 8. Mother Rebecca killed herself a few months after and the father John moved to Canada."

"You had to go LA to get that information?"

"No, of course not," she snapped sarcastically. "I went out here because the fake Mr. and Mrs. Avres died when Anna was 17. She was left with a big sum of money as her inheritance and because she was only looked after a social worker. I looked her up."

"The social worker?"

"Yes, the social worker? Who else? The dead parents?"

"Okay, go on," he said eying Rachel who was staring out the window. He took hold of her hand and squeezed it. She looked over at him a question burning in her eyes. He nodded.

"Mary remembered Anna very well. Anna was alone. She went to school. Always did her home work. She did well for someone who had just lost her parents. Mary thought that was weird. Very weird and she referred the girl to a therapist feeling sure the girl needed more help than she could herself provide."

"Tell me you got those records." A chuckle rewarded his eager ears.

"Of course I didn't. But, the therapist worked closely with Mary as well. As Mary had been the court appointed guardian to Anna till she turned 18 she knew a lot about everything that went on with Anna's life. According to the therapist's notes she found Anna detached and withdrawn. She could only get the girl to talk about school. She refused to talk about her dead parents or anything else for that matter. Anna kept coming there for 3 months until she had a break through. This is what the sweet doctor told me herself. The girl flipped when the therapist put her under a light hypnosis. In this state she asked about her parents and the girl started screamed for someone to stop over and over like chant while she rocked back and forth. Neither Mary nor the therapist could understand why and it took them some time to calm the girl. The next time they repeated the hypnosis and asked her who she wanted to stop. She said her father. She told she was afraid he'd find her again. They were of course both very chocked as the girl's parents were dead. When they asked why she was afraid her dead father would find her she freaked out and started screaming again. The next time the same thing happened. At every mention of her father she freaked out. When she came to she returned to the same withdrawn and closed off state refusing to talk about anything. They wanted to continue this line of therapy but from one day to the other Mary was off the case and got moved to another county. The therapist had a break in after that and all of Anna's files were taken. She only has the notes she had at her home. The rest was gone. Tapes from the hypnosis and the typed out manuscripts. All the records about this were concealed. In Anna's original file there is nothing about her seeing a therapist."

"That's it?" he asked in disbelief.

"Nope. Mary found all of this very odd. She felt a responsibility towards this girl and she went to see her. To hear if she was alright. The girl wouldn't let her into the apartment saying she knew Mary had been fired as her guardian and she has to leave. She was guarding the door and refusing to let Mary see inside. It was clear she wanted Mary gone as fast as possible. Mary left but she sat at a café across from where Anna lived and stayed there all day to see what Anna was up to. After four hours and a lot of coffee later Anna finally came out with an elderly man. He kissed her cheek and it was clear they knew each other. Mary didn't know what to think. Was it some guy taking advantage of the young girl so brutally bereft of her parents? She took a picture of him." Puck felt his heart starting to beat faster. There could be someone who knew something about Anna. A living person. Scully had stopped talking now letting the silence grow between them and Puck felt uneasy.

"Who is he?"

"I had an idea back in DC that there could only be a few people that could have files blocked like Anna's are and I did a search for these people; senators, the president, her men, head of the Bureaus, military generals, the like." He nodded even if she couldn't see him and he held his breath. "It was Adrian Straits."

"Holy fuck. How does Anna know him? He's the director of the FBI."

"Yep. I'm going to a friend's house here in LA. I need a better and secure uplink to dig through this. I can't risk being in the open. But I know where to look now."

"What should we do in the mean time?"

"Get some sleep. Get some food. I'll hurry."

"Do you know what this means?"

"Yes, if he helped them they could be anywhere by now. Which is why I need to break into those records. If I can prove he did something illegal, we have some leverage to begin the hunt."

"You're not scared to take this on?"

"Why?"

"Well, you know what happens to people who dig too deep…" he trailed off and looked at Rachel. She had been staring intently at him since he took hold of her hand.

"Yes. I also know they don't always get to cover it all up. If he used his position to help these people become someone else for no other reason than she asked him, he is not fit to take care of his job and I'll gladly try to take him on. Someone in his position should know better." She hung up clearly not as cool about it all as she wanted him to think. He put the phone down and sighed.

"This is some deep shit, baby." He let his eyes search the landscape around them. They had pulled onto the side of the road when his phone had started to ring. Just a road. Like any other but Puck felt like his world had somehow become smaller. The bureau was in on this. This changed it all. This more or less made the world Anna and Finn's playground. They could be and go anywhere. She tugged at his hand and he turned to her. Her eyes were big and full of trust. A trust he might not be able to live up to.

"What did she say?"

"Anna might not be who we think she is," he'd opted to keep the truth of the blocked files from her. She furrowed her brow and worried her lip to keep it from trembling.

"Who is she then?" he realized this call hadn't clarified who Anna might be just who she knew.

"I have no idea but she knows some very important people."

"Who?"

"The director of the FBI," he said calmly. It sounded so odd and detached. This man was the head of an organization that fought crime. The very organization that lead the investigation of this case.

"But how?"

"That's what my partner is trying to figure out right now." She nodded and then looked out the window brow furrowed and she kept worrying her lips.

"Are you CIA?" she finally verbalized a question she'd been wondering for some time now. He took in a deep breath and then nodded.

"Yes. I am and my partner, Scully is, too."

"How long have you been?"

"A year now. Remember I told I got a stable spot?" She nodded. She remembered. For a moment she'd hoped it was LA. If it had been she'd most likely have left Finn there and then to be with Noah. But it had been Washington. It made sense now.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" He shook his head.

"Not unless I had to." She nodded feeling left out of his life. He felt like a stranger next to her. Someone who looked like someone she used to know. It was an overwhelming feeling of loss she found hard to bear. The two people in her life she thought she knew best had both ended up being someone she never thought they could be. She knew Puck had been in the military and in war but the CIA was a very different story. That was an entirely different league and she felt estranged from him because of it. Her hero had fallen into grace. She tried to control her breathing but the tears that had now for days had free flow at all times could not be held back. She bit her lip so hard she almost bit through as she turned from him to look out of the window letting go of his hand.

Logically she knew him being CIA was a good thing. He had recourses that would help them beyond what any other normal person had and that his partner was involved merely added to this fact. He could help her even more than she thought but the tears running down her cheek was not for her daughter this time. He hadn't wanted to involve her into his life like she had him in her life. To think she'd almost left Finn to be with him. And another thing ran through her mind, he could never truly be with her. He was working in an agency which meant his face could never be on a red carpet or splashed across Hello! Magazine. She felt like she'd been run over by a truck and she realized that she'd been relieved that Finn had filed for divorce because it had meant she no longer had to repress her feelings for Noah. She could finally be with him. But now, she couldn't. Their love was caught in the wire in no man's land of the great divide of their very different lives. They could never be together.

It all seemed hopeless just then sitting on this road somewhere in America. A road like any other now felt like the longest stretch of hard and grey asphalt leading from nowhere to nowhere. She was lost and for the first time she felt alone. Completely alone.

"Why are you crying over that?" he broke the silence that seemed to have filled the car up only broken by her small sobs and sniffs. He didn't understand this reaction. This wasn't exactly bad news. It meant he had jurisdiction and the power to work through this and with Scully working with them he felt sure they'd give one hell of a try to get Gracie back. Why was she crying over that? She shook her head at him unwilling to verbalize her thought and reasons for another bash of tears and he felt frustrated. "This is good, Rachel." She shook her head again and he furrowed his brow. "Why not?" He demanded taken back with her denial of his fortunate choice of job in this very situation. She shook her head again refusing to even look at him. Frustrations had been running high from the moment he'd stepped into her house 4 days ago. She'd been up and down like a roller coaster and he had been there for her through every doubt. But this one he didn't understand and it made him angry she wouldn't even talk to him about it. They talked about everything. "So you're just not gonna talk to me now 'cus I'm CIA?" She shrugged. "That's mature, really mature," he snapped. He felt bad the moment he did it and it was like the small distance between them this bit of information had at first crammed into this small car was now expanding to a whipping sea of unchartered emotion . "Fine," he barked and putting the car into gear and sped down the road leaving this very significant spot of road behind them. He'd do what Scully had suggested and take them to get something to eat and catch up on a bit of sleep till she called them back. If Rachel was gonna play the silent crying game he'd ignore it. He was proud of the person he'd become and he loved his job. Nothing she said – or in this case didn't say - was gonna change that.

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><p>They had finally left the cliffs of New Foundland. It had been a brilliant place to hide despite the cold, he mused as he pushed the car to drive 130 kilometers down the M1. They were free now. They had driven to Quebec in record time being provided with a car from Anna's contact. They had all three colored their hair and had haircuts. They were wearing different eye contact and taken on a new style of clothes to mask their old identities. Finn had felt sad to see Gracie's dark curl be cut off and changed into a short blond frock. It didn't become her and her expressive brown eyes were now a mat and one-dimensional grey. She was sitting quietly looking out the window. She had stopped talking all together when Anna had ignored her protests of changing her appearance and transformed fully into a sullen and sad little girl. She refused to eat much and she didn't want anything to do with Anna. He felt sad for her but this was for the better. Anna put a hand on his thigh and smiled.<p>

"She'll be fine," she coed for the 15th time within the last hour. Her soft and reassuring smile made him smile, too. They'd be happy here he was sure. He nodded.

"I know. Once we settle in she'll be fine." He'd said those very words so many times he believed them now. It had to be fine. They had no choice. England would be a good home to them. Nottingham was the home of Robin Hood and he felt like he was indeed Robin Hood right now. He felt like a hero for saving his daughter and now he'd make it right. All the times he hadn't been there with her letting Rachel take her away to far sides of the world, it would end now. Louise would have a normal life now.

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><p><strong>Dun-dun-duh :D Lemme me know what you think please :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**So I FINALLY wrote this chapter. God it took forever - I know. I'm sorry but life has this annoying thing about getting at when you're too busy, innit? **

**Abyways, thanks for your patience and your review and adding me :) I promise you I will write the next chapter up this week and the next chapter for A Murder involves a murderer if any of you are still following either story. **

**Enjoy! :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

The fork made a clattering noise as Rachel put it down clumsily. Her eyes were stinging still from crying as he'd taken them to a nearby motel with diner while she'd been thinking about it all. Why did she feel this way finding out he was CIA? It was a steady job that paid the bills. He wasn't a criminal. He wasn't a terrorist, hell he probably even helped to catch a load of them. She had no reason to feel this way about his job. She looked at the food on her plate not feeling particularly hungry. Food tasted weird and mostly like salt these days. She figured that it was all the crying that had numbed her taste buds or assaulted them into only being able to taste one thing.

She gave up staring down her food with a skeptical frown and instead looked up at Noah. He was sitting leaning in over the counter pretending to read the news paper but she knew he was thinking rather than reading as he'd been on the same page since he pushed his plate away from him leaving only a few fries as a contrast to her almost full plate.

She studied his face as he was caught up in his own little world; he looked like he had always done, she thought. Handsome with soft features that made him seem trustworthy yet also coy. She loved that about him and wondered if that was good or bad as an agent. He'd lost the hawk and she assumed that was policy in the CIA as it most likely made him stand out too much from the crowd. Lean now rather than buff she thought he had never looked better. How could she be anything but in love with his man? Her heart gave a small skip beating just a little faster because of him. She instantly felt guilty and then it hit her; it had nothing to do with Noah's job at all. She felt guilty at the possibility of being happy while Grace was still out there.

A tear rolled down her cheek before she even registered that she was crying and she hurriedly wiped it off her face pulling her body into an upright position to make sure no one noticed she was sitting there crying over nothing – again.

"I'm gonna get some fresh air," she said avoiding eye contact as she jumped off her stool. He merely nodded as she left. There was nowhere to go really. He was didn't have to worry about her, did he?

Outside in the cold air, she took a deep breath and looked around. The parking lot had a few cars, nothing distinct. Behind the parking lot there were a small gathering of trees and she decided to cross over the parking lot and walk among the trees to clear her head although she knew there was no way she could even remotely get close to clearing her head. But moving felt better and made things a little clearer.

The snow creaked under her feet as she left the asphalted parking lot where some poor guy probably drew the shortest straw this morning and had to clear it. She liked the sound of the snow under her feet. It reminded her of living in Lima where winter had snow and was cold. She quickly put the parking lot, the motel and the small diner behind; letting the trees absorb her.

The past few days had been horrible. The waiting was driving her insane. Every hour without Gracie only made it worse. It didn't lessen and she wasn't sure how much more she could take of this. She needed her child before this grief ate her up. What if they never found Gracie?

The thought made her heart stop for a second and she had to actually stop to force the air into her lungs. She felt like she was being suffocated and as she sank to her knees she didn't feel the cold from the snow. She lied down on her knees hugging her body together into a tight ball of sorrow. She didn't have the energy or will to rock herself but just lied there breathing and crying.

And she'd been a bitch to Noah. She'd acted like a complete cow when all he did was trying to help. Of course he hadn't told her he was with the CIA. He probably couldn't tell her because his job entailed more than just sitting behind a desk and shove papers back and forth. She had acted like a teenager unwilling to accept that the real world included real jobs. She was the one who lived in a make-believe world where everything was fake. She was living a dream and now the real world was crashing down over her. She needed Noah to help her. Nothing in her life had in any way prepared her for this. Not that she thought any mother could be prepared for this but she had her whole life served on a silver platter. Finn had loved her despite all her flaws and her constant focus on herself. Part of her thought she'd brought this on herself. No wonder Finn left her. They should never have married in the first place. She sobbed even harder. They had been so young and stupid thinking they could conquer the whole world as long as they made sure to call. A mirage was so much more than that and they had wasted it with each other. The only thing she couldn't get to blame on her self-centered behavior was him stealing Gracie with him. Why take her? He had never expressed any wish to have the child with him when she was away filming. She didn't doubt that he loved his daughter but why go to this length to get away from LA and herself? What was he running from? Was it because of Anna? Was she running from something?

It was pointless. She could guess all she wanted at the reason for Finn's choice to break up her world like he had and she'd be nowhere nearer the answer. Fact was he had left and taken their child and she'd do anything to get her back.

A pair of strong hands lifted her up unfolding her body and the cold air rushed into her lungs as she gasped in chock.

"Getting pneumonia isn't going to solve anything," Noah's soft voice broke the frosty silence among the trees. She turned around in his arms to look at him with searching eyes filled with tears.

"But you hate me now."

"How do you figure that?" He asked with genuine surprise in his voice.

"All you tried to do is help. Always. And," she had to stop to cough and sniff which turned into a hiccup. "I," sniff. "Was such a bitch to you," she hiccupped stumbling over the words as she searched his face. "I need you to take care of me. I can't handle this. I didn't mean to be to be like that about your job. It's good you have a job and it's clear you like it," she hesitated to sniff and place one arm around his neck for support. "It was stupid. I'm sorry." He shook his head at her.

"Apology accepted," he smiled genuinely and pulled her into a tight hug. "Now stop being silly and come with me to our room and get some sleep," he said gently into her soft hair. She nodded and letting go of his neck she set to walk on her own but he grabbed her hand. "I understand, okay? I see it in your face. You're on the verge all the time. This is driving you insane. I can't put myself in your position but I see what it's doing to you. We'll find her. I promise you. Scully has bitten her teeth into this and she is the best. Don't worry."He set off and she followed him back through the woods till they were back in the parking lot. Crossing it he looked around paranoid taking in every car parked there. Nothing seemed strange or out of the ordinary. He led her to their room and taking a last look at the parking lot, he closed the door behind them.

He turned around to Rachel who was already pealing of layers of clothes. She was wearing a lot of layers these days making her appear at least 15 pounds heavier. Her face bare of makeup and her hair a bit unruly collected in a loose ponytail. She looked nothing like her star self and he found her ten times more attractive. She looked like a real person now.

She didn't bother to fold her clothes but placed it on a nearby chair in a pile. Placing her last sweater she looked up and caught him staring. She bit her lip but let him stare. She liked how he let his eyes roam over her body. He let his eyes wander over her body taking in her slender hips, tiny pout of her stomach, her long legs, the swell of her breasts and up to her face. They had since they left New York slept in the same bed and despite there had been no funny business, he felt closer to her than ever. It was like their love story was about to unfold just around the corner. He knew why she held back; she was not yet divorced and Finn still had Gracie. But he knew they'd end up together and that filled him with an uncharacteristic patience. Under normal circumstances, he'd have knocked down her door and fucked up against it in the rush to claim her.

He walked the few steps to stand in front of her. Raising a hand to let it slide down her arm he could feel she was ice cold. No time for sexual romance; only the non-sexual one of love and care.

"You're freezing," he whispered afraid to brake the moment. To brake her. She nodded slowly her eyes clinging to his face.

"Warm me up." It was a simple request but it had undertones of a promise and an invitation he wasn't sure he could wait much longer for. Apart from the love he held for Gracie as Rachel's daughter, the need to be with Rachel fueled his want to get the little girl back so he could have her mother and make this a happy family.

"Get under the covers then, baby," he croaked out barely containing the arousal in his voice. All she had do however was to look at his crotch and it was evident how he felt right now. She turned to the bed and crawled under the covers with slow movements. He quickly shed his own clothes in a hurry to be undressed and get under the covers with before she saw the evidence of his arousal. He didn't want to take advantage and he had already waited 11 years for her; what were a few weeks?

He didn't bother to even lay his clothes in a pile on a chair; just threw them as he was on to the next item. She of course was faster than him; they were both wearing a considerable amount of layers and even if he had been trained to get in and out of clothes faster than lightning he couldn't beat her slow crawl under the covers. Her eyes lingered on his body this time as his had on hers just a few minutes ago and he let her. He too liked how it felt when she looked at him. Dropping his pants he made for the bed. It was clear she had seen the tent in his boxers but she scooted over and lifted the covers for him like normally.

He lay on his back like he always did; letting her chose if she wanted to cuddle up so the choice was hers. She let him settle before she snuggled up putting her head on his arm and resting a hand on his chest. He turned his head to kiss her on the forehead. She looked up at him with a tiny smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"You think this is funny?" The smile grew a millimeter and she nodded.

"A bit," she finally answered with a small voice.

"Why?"

"Funny in an ironic way," she said letting the guilt seep into her words.

"How?"

"We've been at this," she let her hand caress his chest over his heart. "For years. Maybe since High School and if it hadn't been for Gracie in the first place, I'd have left Finn to be with you." Her finger were drawing hearts on his heart as if to underline what she was saying. "Looking back I should never have married him and certainly not as young as we did. I wasn't ready to be married. I was – I am – a selfish person and I was never going to let Finn be anything else than the boy he was in High School. But," she closed her hand into a fist of anger and her face mirrored her resentment. "Gracie wasn't his to take. He didn't want a child with me, did you know that?" He shook his head. She'd never told him this despite their closeness. "I told him I was pregnant and he told me he'd been talking to a lawyer about a divorce. He said he didn't feel I was there for him. That I was too obsessed with my career. I of course didn't see what he meant. What else would I be? Did he think I'd get where I wanted by being a Stepford wife? But I refused to have an abortion and I promised to the time to have the baby if he stayed. If I hadn't been pregnant, I was ready to leave him, too."

"It was after that week you came to Miami with me, wasn't it?" She nodded slowly.

"Yeah. You made me smile like Finn never did. You made – make – it all seem so easy. So natural. With Finn it was always a problem. Like he never accepted what I wanted to do with my life and was just waiting for me to realize that it was silly and time to grow up. He never understood that this is truly what I want to be doing for my job." Her eyes followed her hand's pattern of hearts she was yet again drawing with a slow finger teasing him. "I told myself I could be happy with Gracie. Having a family like I always wanted but it wasn't enough. The second I realized I could have it all and he wouldn't protest that I took her with me I was gone. And now," she raised herself up to face him. "Gracie has brought us together again." she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "I want us to be an us."

"I want that, too. God, I have for years," he smiled a small smile. "But not till this is over. I don't want this sad Rachel completely consumed with finding your child. I love you more than any other person in my life. I want us get married the second your divorce comes through but I want it to be right." He raised himself up and gave her a gentle kiss as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"What if we never find her?" placing both hands on her cheek he made her look at him.

"Don't think like that."

"I drove him away."

"Bullshit. He could have left a long time ago. Been a man and stood up for what he wanted. He never wanted the life you did but he was never man enough to own up to that. He kept telling himself you'd choose to be his wife – instead of accepting that you had already made your choice."

"He said that?" Noah couldn't help a small chuckle.

"No. But I know him, too. He kept nagging about you never being home and he never did get that he married an upcoming star and that one day that meant you'd be one as well. He figured you'd get there and then be happy retiring having shown everyone you could. Or be like Celine; with your own show placed in a the same city as him and you could come home every day and look back at your success with pride but then look onto your mirage with a pride and accept what he felt was the responsibility you had as his wife." She nodded slowly.

"Do you think he is punishing me?"

"I don't think he has motives that complicated, Rachel. I think the key to all of this is Anna. He would have left you with a simple divorce, moved in with Anna and started a new family. But something changed with this Anna girl. She wants you to be punished for your mirage. I don't know why, though."

Rachel placed her head back on his arm. There was a certain calm now that she knew that once this was over, he'd still be there. He wasn't going to leave her. She'd been scared he was but unable to voice that fear as she was overwhelmed with fears unable to tell them apart. But now he'd put down one fear and he was trying his best to quell her biggest fear. He placed his arm around her protectively and hugged her to him.

The swing swung back and forth with a creepy creak with every swing echoing through the small backyard in their new house. Gracie didn't like their new house and she didn't like her new name either. She wanted to go home and see her mummy. She looked down at her feet and at the plain brown shoes. Mummy would never have given her shoes like that.

When she swung up as high as she could all she could see were similar yards of houses that looked just their new house. Small and nothing like any other house she'd lived in. The rooms were small and she felt trapped. Even this yard was small. And it was cold here but not like it was cold in New York. There was no snow everything just looked grey and faded brown. She sighed feeling a sadness she couldn't put words to. Her daddy was here but it wasn't the same at all. She didn't want to be with him if mummy weren't there. She was always with mummy. Mummy tugged her in with her little bear called Bara. Daddy had forgotten Bara and gotten her some fluffy elephant. Just not the same.

"Louise?" Anna's voice broke the silence of the suburban quietness. Gracie didn't react. "Lunch, sweetie." Gracie only swung her legs more determinedly making sure the swing swung up higher. For a moment she considered jumping down into the yard on the other side of their fence and run away but she knew she couldn't make the jump. She'd tried a lot jumps in her life. She was really good at jumping – least mummy said she was. Anna thought she was silly jumping from thing to thing. She never understood but mummy and her always played this game that mummy would dance and Gracie jump singing their jumping song. It was a song they'd made up together when they were bored. They always made new verses when they had to wait and then they'd jump. With Anna and daddy she had to sit still. They didn't sing or dance and now they called her Louise. Telling her that was her name now. "Louise!" Anna's voice was strict now and Gracie knew she'd be angry in a minute if she didn't stop the swing. She looked one more time at the yard. When she'd be bigger she'd do it, she told herself as she stopped the swing and turned around to face Anna.

"Yes, Anna."

"Mummy."

"You're not my mummy," Gracie answered her stubbornly. No way would she ever call her mummy. Anna grabbed her arm hard and pulled Gracie with her inside.

"I am your mummy now. You will call me mummy. Do you hear me?" Gracie just stared down at Anna's feet. She too had plain brown shoes on. Gracie started to kick off her shoes getting ready to go inside the house to eat but Anna stopped her holding onto her arm. "Do you hear me?" Gracie stood still but she refused to answer. Saying no would get her in trouble that much she'd learnt but she wasn't about to say yes. She had a mummy. She loved her mummy. She didn't love Anna. She loved daddy but she wanted her mummy. "Louise! Answer me." Anna shook her arm and it hurt but Gracie refused to answers still and then Anna let go with an annoyed thrust. "We have to eat," she hissed surly as she let Gracie take off the rest of her clothes on her own. Gracie peered after Anna and then down at her shoes.

"You for'w'got to take your shoes off, Anna," she called after her. Gracie knew she'd make her even more angry now but she didn't really care. Anna always said she should take her shoes off. Anna didn't come all the way back but instead threw her shoes right in front of Gracie and they hit the wall next to her with a thump.

"Happy now you little monster?"

Scully wasn't sure this was the best idea she'd ever had but as she looked at her partner in crime; this skinny kid with glasses as thick as windows she felt sorry for him. She'd picked him out of a list of suspects whose whereabouts were known to the Police, FBI and CIA but he was merely kept under surveillance. This would get him busted but she didn't really care. She was fairly sure it would land him a pretty good job working for the government rather than a nasty conviction. He looked back at her with a cocky grin.

"So Dana. Are you single?" She couldn't help a smile as she shook her head.

"Sorry, kid. Besides I'm pretty sure I'm too old."

"I like women older than me. Besides you're not that old." She chuckled feeling flattered.

"Maybe not but I am faithful to my husband." A beep Scully only knew too well had them both turn to his computer. Scully rolling over the floor. "Holy mother…you did it."

"Of course I did," he said proudly and started to blabber on about how he'd done it. Scully didn't listen but instead hit print before the system started to kick up a fuss. She wasn't about to be caught doing this. She almost felt sorry the kid would be but then again his pride made him a felon, he'd get what he deserved and he'd have helped a little girl find her way back.

"Thanks. You're an angel." She quickly copied the files to her drive before she got up from the chair and picked up the papers. One by one the story of another little girl was filled out. Scully scanned down the page as fast as she could then as fast a lightning putting together pieces of the history behind Anna Avres' sudden appearance in California. "I have to go."

"But-" But the kid never got more to say as Scully had already gathered her things by the time he got his eyes off the screen and back to her.

"You did well. The Men in black are most thankful," she said with a gleeful grin. She had to blow California now and get the fuck out of this state. She herself was known for the exact same thing as this kid.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! <strong>**Please review and let me know what you think :) **


	8. Chapter 8

**Sooo sorry I posted the wrong chapter. Thanks for letting me know. Been so tired lately. Again; sorry. And enjoy the actual chapter :)  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

"I have the files now," she was out of breath almost as if she was running the car with her own feet as she was speeding away from the shady apartment complex down town LA. She was driving as fast as she could without risking being caught or attract any unwanted attention.

"What does it say?" Noah sounded sleepy and groggy.

"That Anna Avres was born in Newcastle in 2005. Her real name is Wendy Lewis. Mother; Rebecca Lewis and father David Lewis. Rebecca moved to the UK to marry David in 2004 and the year after Wendy came along. There were several complaints from neighbors of rows and often Rebecca would sport a black eye and other bruises. Once Wendy started in school the teachers also reported bruises and suspected abuse. Rebecca claimed Wendy would fall a lot but it was reported and then Rebecca fled the country. She moved back to the Washington where she met no other than Adrian Straits. Then he was just an agent with a most promising career. They got married and she changed her name to Straits as well. But then one day Lewis came to take away his daughter – only Adrian was home and he shot him. The whole case was buried. The mirage annulled and Rebecca took her daughter with her to California. Wendy was renamed Anna Wendy Avres taking on the identity of the dead girl and the mother took on the identity of Rebecca Avres. From the files Mr. Avres is merely a name, not a real person. He appears to be the only viable source of income which is probably why he was invented in the first place. I don't think I need to follow the money trail too far back for it to lead to Adrian Straits. When Anna turned 17 the records show Rebecca died in a car accident with her husband. Only, she didn't die. She moved to Washington to be married to Adrian Straits and she's now living with him as his wife; Miranda Straits," Scully finally stopped talking giving time for Noah's brain to catch up.

"How the hell did they manage to do all this? It's not like the guy is Secret Service or Homeland Security or even CIA."

"I'll say they really wanted him to be head of the bureau and he really wanted to help his wife."

"I guess," Noah answered sounding tired.

"So what now? Where you headed?"

"I think we both know where I'm headed. I need to plan this out a bit better to make sure I don't walk into a trap with no back up."

"Good idea."

"You need to get near an airport. I have a feeling Anna is in the UK but I wouldn't catch a plane out of the country before I have conformation."

"You think she'd go back to where it all started?"

"That's fairly normal. She could either be recreating her trauma or change it. Make it a happy one rather than what it actually was."

"Well, I'd say the later. Finn is not the type to beat anybody up."

"Let's hope not. Gotta go. Talk to you later." Scully hung up and Noah slowly lowered the phone. Rachel was sitting up next to him with wide eyes.

"What did she say?" Her voice had a sharp edge to it as anxiety seeped through.

"I need to put it on speaker," he smiled. "Scully got it and she thinks they're in the UK."

"The UK?" He nodded.

"But she's not completely sure so we have to get to an airport so we can leave if we get the go. So pack up and let's move. I'll fill you in on the rest on the way."

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><p>Waking with a start, Gracie sat up in her bed. This whole room wasn't hers. The few toys daddy had packed up from home, Anna had thrown out saying they needed to lose it all. She missed Bara. The elephant daddy called Bara wasn't the same.<p>

The tears sprung to her eyes and before she knew what she was saying the words tumbled from her lips, over and over;

"I want my mummy, I want my mummy, I want my mummy, I want my mummy," her tiny voice echoed in the small room. The only furniture in there was the bed she was lying in. Even if the room was so small, she felt even smaller, like the room had eaten her up and she was alone floating on her bed. Nothing around her to comfort her or create a sense of home. She was truly alone like she'd never been in her short life. Mummy had always been there or come to see her.

The tears streamed down her face into her fake blond hair soaking it and seeping in the flat pillow. Gracie didn't care about anything but the pain in her heart.

All she wanted was her mummy.

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><p>Rebecca looked none too pleases as Scully cornered her trapping her in an empty elevator at her work place. Scully had given this some thought and decided Rebecca was the safest option to corner first. The woman standing in front of her made Scully smile. She was a feet shorter than Scully with mousy grey hair and matching pale grey eyes. Scully had no trouble imagining this woman sticking to an abusive husband and even make excuses for him.<p>

"What so you want?" Rebecca asked when Scully had stopped the elevator and merely stood back watching the other woman twitch under her calm but hard stare.

"I think you know what I want." Rebecca shifted her weight from one foot to the other clearly nervous.

"No, I'm afraid I don't," she said with a clear voice but Scully noticed the small shrug. Trained eyed scanned the body language fast and precise.

"I'd be afraid, too," Scully said calmly. "With a story like yours. I could be here for a lot of reasons." She let Rebecca shift again, letting the anxiety grow in the woman. Let her run through the variety of options for Scully's visit. The imagination of the victim would create much more elaborate scenarios than what usually was actually going to happen. Scully found herself loving that fact about the human mind.

"Do you want money?" Scully gave a toothy grin. It was always good to flash teeth. Very primal sneer.

"No, not at all. You know something I need to know."

"My husband-"

"I know all your husband did. If you don't want him to lose job you better tell me what I want to know and fast."

"How do you know? You can't know," Rebecca squealed making Scully grin in disgust.

"It doesn't matter how I know. Fact is I do know what he did to get you here. You want the world to know?" Rebecca shook her head no.

"No. He'd lose his job. He'd be accused of tampering with evidence, identity theft.." she trailed off and Scully nodded. "He'd go to prison."

"He should from abusing his position in the first place," Scully hissed. "But tell me where she went and I'll leave it to this."

"I don't know where my daughter is."

"That's a lie," Scully spat. "Quit trying to be smarter than me. Tell me where she is or your husband is on the cover of the Times in all cities nationwide as well as abroad. You want that to happen?" Rebecca's wide eyes and open mouth told Scully she most certainly didn't. "Tell me where your daughter went and I will never look twice at these files again."

"I can't tell you where she is."

"I think you can and I know you will."

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><p>The late hour of Bangor airport had lessened the stream of people but it was still pretty busy with happy people going on holidays or otherwise busily bustling about making the wheels turn. Rachel envied them.<p>

Puck had found them a secluded corner where they could sit and wait for Scully's call. Rachel had slept at bit leaning up against him hugging her own body. Then he had slept a bit with his head in her lap and she guarding the phone. Now they were both awake sitting together quietly looking at the few people who came their way.

She put her head on his shoulder with a bored sigh and he dragged his eyes from a couple standing kissing like it was the very last time they'd ever get to see each other. Their hands roaming each other's bodies like they very practically having sex right there. He knew why they'd gone to this part of the airport and he was astonished they hadn't ducked into a bathroom or some other room to fuck yet.

"That is disgusting," she breathed annoyed. "Couldn't they just get it over with and go?" Her eyes were fixed on the couple and he couldn't help but smile. Despite everything Rachel Berry was still in there to judge the world on their inappropriate behavior.

"I remember a time when you were quite fascinated with having sex in public and where people could walk in on you." She tore her eyes from the couple and sat up straight.

"I did no-" then she stopped and a quick flash of a grin. "I was young," she quickly rationalized.

"Like hell. It's only because you don't wanna end up on some tabloid with your ass out in the middle of doing it."

"I'd never!" She shrieked insulted.

"But you did before anyone cared who you were," he said with an affectionately teasing smile.

"Finn loved it," she answered sullenly and returned to studying the couple. "You think they will do it right here?" Puck shrugged.

"Maybe. You'd enjoy the show?"

"Puck! Ew! I'd send you to tell them to stop or get a room or something."

"Why me?"

"Cos you're my man of course. It's your job to take care my corneas aren't molested by sexual escapades of random strangers in public."

"That's almost a joke you made there, Berry." She gave him half a smile.

"Don't worry. I'll go back to being the sad puppy you drag around."

"You're-" Noah stopped talking as 5 men dressed in black suits came towards them with a determined look in their eyes like they were a pack of wolves and they had set their eyes on their prey; him. "Okay listen, babe. Those men are here for me. How they know where we are isn't important but lean in and kiss me and make sure you switch our phones. That phone is the key to getting that call so you can find Gracie."

"Noah-"

"Now," he hissed. Rachel finally saw the men, too and quickly moved in to kiss as she took her phone out of her own pocket. He held still for the kiss. Didn't try to kiss her as his eyes were focused on the men even as he tried to look engrossed in the kiss. She fished out his phone with deft hands and put it gently in her own pocket like it was the whole grail. She let go of his lips locking eyes with him.

"I love you," she whispered. He nodded and placing a hand on her cheek, he leaned in and softly kissed her for real this time for a second uncaring about the agents moving in on them.

"Mr. Puckerman?" He let go with regret and looked up at the agents.

"Agents," he greeted them with a natural charm coming from running into agents like them all the time. Wasn't the first and probably not the last time he'd get arrested like this. He got up letting go of Rachel. She kept seated watching the scene unfold in front of her knowing there was nothing she could do to change what was going to happen.

"We're placing you under arrest, Mr. Puckerman for extortion and hacking." Puck nodded accepting the charges. He put out his hands and let them take him away. They barely even looked at Rachel as they led him out leaving her to sit on her own staring after them. She didn't cry but merely stared. What else could she do? She was holding her breath scared she'd attract any unwanted attention afraid they'd snatch her as well.

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><p><strong>Duh-duh-duh! What'd ya think? :-)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the long update time. Haven't felt too inspired lately. But enjoy this chapter. Puck will be back in the next one :) Oh and of course thanks for the reviews :-)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Sitting back in her seat again, Rachel pondered her options. It was pointless crying but what was she supposed to do without Noah? He was the one who had been in charge on this and she had just followed him like the helpless puppy she was these days. Now she was to lead this. But where would she go? Her fingers deftly moved to fiddle with his phone. Fishing the black iPhone out she told herself she was merely looking for any kind of information that would give her a clue about what to do next.

She let her eyes run over the small item. There was nothing distinct about it. Sleek and shiny. The only thing that attested its owner's use was a multitude of small scratches and a chip missing from the top. Maybe he'd fallen as he was running from someone? Just a trip from being clumsy as he was chewing his breakfast and crossing the street?

Pressing the middle button and pulling the bar to the side unlocking the device she found, to her surprise, he had a picture of her on his desktop. She furrowed her brow trying to figure out where he'd taken it. She looked so happy. It had to be an old one. Then again she probably always looked that happy when she was with him.

Discarding her thoughts and speculations about the picture and the meaning of it she pressed to see his texts. There weren't many. Some old ones from Finn, his sister, mother, a few friends. The ones that were longest and clearly went back for a long time were from herself and Scully. She wasn't interested in what she herself had exchanged with him. She knew that well enough.

She wasn't sure if it was a need to have information that might give her a destination to go to to find Gracie or if she was driven by curiosity to find out what kind of partnership he had with this Scully. Were they more than partners? Did he have feelings for this Scully person? She didn't for a moment doubt he had feelings for her but considering her relationship status for most of the time they'd known each other it wouldn't be strange if he had found someone else to love. Was it perhaps Scully and they had to keep on the low because of their very important jobs?

Flicking through the texts they had a variety purposes. Most were very short exchanges of information or agreeing to meet somewhere, get coffee or the like. Nothing of much interest or to wake any kinds of jealous feelings. A few texts about this and that but Rachel figured they mostly talked and exchanging information over text would be rather stupid considering their jobs. As well as have proof of a potential sexual relationship.

She returned to the main menu looking at the applications. He didn't have many. A man of few things and without the need for much in his phone. She sighed and put the phone down. All she could do was wait.

She looked around the niche they had been hiding in. It seemed a lot bigger now. She sighed again and then got up. She felt like wandering around the airport to get moving. Gathering her things she left their shared spot to wander around thinking over her new situation. The one question that took up her thoughts were what to do? She had already wasted so much time. Clearly Finn had help from Adrian where they had none.

She had money but they were no use against a system where money and power was in abundant. She entered a shop without really seeing the items on the racks as she wandered through her mind to come up with a solution. She hated that it all depended on another women she didn't really know. This Scully was putting herself on the line for Gracie and Rachel without any reason but her loyalty to Noah. It was an odd connection, Rachel thought. Not that she'd in any way stop this for the sake of Scully. She'd do anything to get Gracie back. Then she'd deal with the repercussions after.

She'd do whatever she could to get Noah out of where ever they'd put him but right now she needed to focus on Gracie. She felt sure he wasn't in any real danger and putting her faith in the legal system of her country, she felt sure it would all work out in the end. For Noah anyway.

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><p>The hours ticked by so slow Scully was sure the world had ended as her flight set down on the tarmac of Bangor airport. She had been left with no choice but to flee Washington. It had not been the best move to threaten Rebecca as the woman had called her husband the second Scully was out of sight. A quick update into the system and she knew she was a hunted criminal. She'd somehow expected less. This would quickly turn into a farce involving the media and God knows who.<p>

Adrian clearly wasn't thinking too tactical about this whole scenario. Scully held the files and therefore the power. Why didn't he get that? Did he really want to end up on the cover of ever newspaper in the US and beyond? She shook her head. He had to have a plan that she couldn't foresee right now. Or maybe she didn't dream big enough? What would a man like him do to them given the freedom he was clearly allowed within the government? That wasn't a very calming thought, she mused.

Bolting from the plane as fast as she could without attracting any attention to herself, she made it past luggage claim and started her search in the airport. She needed three tickets fast but she didn't have that kind of money and letting the CIA pay wasn't an option. She needed to find Puck to get to Rachel and her money. Leaving the country was of the essence. Rebecca had inadvertently given up the location of her daughter but she hadn't exactly given Scully an address. The last pieces still needed to be put into place before they could return with the girl.

Fishing out her phone, she sent Puck: " M3 $ +S "

As the text came through she almost jumped out of her skin. The small cricket sound was like a horn blowing hope into an encampment of soldiers. Her pulse picked up the pace right away and she fumbled to get the phone out. Her heart skipped beat as Scully's name was written on the screen. Opening the text she furrowed her brow. What the fuck? It was a code the two obviously had but what was she to do now that Noah wasn't there to tell her what it meant? She stared at the symbols till her eyes were blurry and she had to blink. This was the most important message of her life and she had no idea what it meant. Was she to go somewhere? Was this some code for the UK? Some other place in the world? Or something less significant?

She wondered if she should text back telling Scully that Noah wasn't with her but if Scully wrote in code there was probably a reason and texting back requesting the information translated would make the coding pointless in the first place. Rachel sighed in frustration. She had to break the code to get anywhere and if they were being monitored she was probably racing against some genius from the FBI. She could almost picture him frown at the easy code and snigger at his opponent.

Feeling a lost sadness inside of her welling up as if it was the root of her soul brought frustrated etars to her ees. How could she win this game when the players on her team hadn't taught her the rules? Looking around and half expecting the black suited men to stand and watch her fail, she bit her lip. Worried it twitchy as her brain was working in overdrive to try and penetrate somewhere in there where this code made sense.

She started walking around peering for someone that might look like a Scully, regretting that she'd never asked Noah about the woman. She didn't know the first thing about his partner; neither her hair color, height, build, nothing.

She worked over the code again and again. It looked like a math piece all tumbled up. Passing a computer shop her eyes searched blindly over a flyer; "Having trouble understanding your kids' typing language?" There was a picture from one of those online games Finn used to play and then an idea popped into her head; could this be gamer code? She didn't hesitate entering the shop and going straight to the counter. A lanky boy of about 19 with a face filled with so many pimples Rachel considered tipping him with a gift certificate to Clearsil. He looked bored until he saw her. The shop didn't have that many customers, mostly kids looking at games.

"Can I help you?" She nodded eagerly and put up the phone in front of him.

"Can you make sense of this?" The boy looked at the text and smiled.

"You have to buy something in here. This is a shop where you pay for the services." Rachel huffed annoyed.

"Look, young man. This is a matter of me finding my 4-year-old daughter so just fucking tell me what this means." The boy raised an eyebrow at her but didn't comment.

"It's something about Starbucks. Pretty easy." Rachel turned the phone in her hand and looking at the symbols it was like they swam into place in front of her eyes; *$ = Starbucks. Of course!

"Of course," she said a smile spreading over her face. "Thank you so much!" She didn't take the time to tip the poor lad but ran out of the store as fast as she could. She remembered where the Starbucks was as they'd been there least 3 times today to fill out their boredom with coffee. Letting her eyes scan the small crowd there she felt nervous. What if they'd picked up Scully, too? It would make sense as it had been Scully who'd done all the illegal stuff and passed it on rather than Noah. Stopping Noah only meant they had half the duo. Would they want the other part as well?

She figured standing in line here would seem less like she was stressed and close to panicking so she took up a place in the queue trying to be discrete about looking around. Letting her eyes wander over every person near her no one stood out looking like a CIA agent. Half the people here were looking around like herself she notice; looking at other people, a partner, a child. Looking around she didn't stand out at all. She made it through the queue and placed her order without anyone letting their eyes stay on her for more than a few seconds. It felt odd. People always looked at her yet here no one did. She had to look terrible.

Waiting for her order to be served she stood looking into the seating area. No one was there alone. Receiving her hot coffee she turned away from the coffee shop and faced into the crowd of people. What if the young guy was wrong and '*$' wasn't Starbucks at all? Could it be something with money? She looked around for a bank or the like and she almost dropped her coffee when she saw the word "Exchange" on a sign. The * was also when you corrected a spelling mistake. Could it mean to correct your money? Change the currency? Glancing one last time as the bustling Starbucks and hoping someone looking like a Scully would be standing there waiting for her. No one was. She turned towards the bank.

Holding her breath she pushed through a family of 10 people that had walked straight into her surrounding her with all their luggage and chattering in some foreign language she didn't recognize, she felt like being born as she could finally see the small bank with the sign above it. A bored looking lady sat looking down at the computer in front of her clicking her mouse most likely enjoying a game of some kind, Rachel thought. Nearing the bank she didn't see anyone out of the ordinary standing around. Every person around her had luggage piled high on their trolleys clearly eager to get out of this airport. Maybe this was a trap? But why would it be? The FBI could have taken her in to question her easily when they took Noah. And within their right as well. She'd been traveling with a guy accused of extortion and hacking. Thinking about it now she didn't understand why they hadn't taken her along.

She stood there looking around peering expectantly from one to the other of the people passing her. No one stopped and most even gave her a pitying look making her feel desperate. What was she missing here? Did that code mean something else? The first hour ticked on turning into two straight hours of standing there. No reply came to her texts when she tried to contact Scully again and eventually she gave up standing at the bank.

Wandering aimlessly through the airport, she had stopped looking around. What was the point? She didn't even know what this Scully character looked like. She walked back to the secluded little niche where she and Noah had been hiding and sat down with a tired sigh. All she could do now was wait.

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><p>She woke with a start as someone sat down next to her. Bright green eyes swept over her face piercing her with a questioning stare.<p>

"This is it. We have to move fast." Scully got up in a rush and Rachel stumbled to her feet trying to gather her things as well a dry a bit of drool from the side of her mouth.

"Wait." Scully stopped and saw the predicament Rachel was in. As fast as a fox she picked up a few of the bags Rachel was dragging alongside her.

"Fix your hair later," Scully mumbled with an annoyed voice. "We have a plane to catch." Rachel didn't argue with that but merely picked up the rest of her stuff and let Scully lead her to the gate. "You owe me some money when this is done," the redhead mumbled as they were waiting in line and Rachel nodded.

"I'll pay you back whatever you like." Hope was rising in her chest as Scully's eyes kept sweeping over the people around them clearly trained to spot an anomaly. She reminded Rachel of a fox; quick green eyes focused and ready all the time, red hair pulled back in a tight pony tail out of her face revealing a narrow and intelligent face with a tight lips and high cheek bones. Scully wasn't your ordinary kind of beautiful but there was something rather striking about her although at the moment masked by a paranoid scowl and frigid movements. Moving along in the queue fast they soon boarded the plane. It was late evening now and the plane was only half full. Mostly of businessmen who had shed their blazers and loosened their tied looking tired and longing to get home.

As the plane left the tarmac Scull finnaly let go of the breath she'd been holding. Rachel turned to look at her.

"What did that code mean?" Scully raised a tired brow.

"Meet me at the exchange office in 5," she answered simply. "But it was meant to divert their attention thinking it mean Starbucks. As you clearly thought as well at first." Rachel nodded feeling a little embarrassed.

"Yes, I'm not good at this spy thing," she admitted with a low voice. "But why didn't you let me know I was at the right place then?"

"Because if it had been Puck he'd have gone for the bank but the FBI would have thought it was Starbucks. You went to Starbucks where they expected you to and they just followed you waiting for me to get you."

"Were they gonna arrest you, too?"

"Why do you think they didn't take you in as well?" Rachel shrugged. She should have known. "They used you trying to get to me. Luckily," Scully said brightly. "I've been at this a little longer than most others."

"How did you know when it was time to come get me?"

"I've got my sources," Scully smiled and leaned back as far as she could closing her eyes. "I need some sleep before we have to outrun the next set of clever law enforcements." Rachel nodded and took to looking out the window watching the world pass her by. They'd find Gracie. She felt sure of it. Maybe this Scully was even better than Noah? A small smile spread on her full lips and she caught a glimpse in the reflection of the glass of the girl she used to look like. It wasn't all lost yet.

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><p><strong>Lemme know what you think please :)<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter took me a long time to write; I had to have my horse put down because he was never gonna get better and had been lame for a year. And because my aunt died in a fire. Found it a little hard to find inspiration. **

**But here it is. As always thanks for the reviews, the alerts and just for reading! You're awesome. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

They had landed in London Heathrow and then quickly left the airport and taken a north bound train to Nottingham. Rachel had sat in her seat twitchy with anticipation unable to calm herself. She was in the same country as her daughter! Scully just shot her a glare clearly more accustomed to waiting with someone not as calm as herself.

"Are you always this twitchy?" Scully finally gave up and with a sigh knowing she'd go insane if Rachel one more time sighed or had to rearrange her long legs.

"No. But Gracie is in this country!" Rachel was unable to keep the shrill of excitement from her voice. "My daughter is here. And that…Anna girl might take her away before I get to her. We. I couldn't bear that," she said with a low voice to conceal the trembling of her voice. She couldn't keep the emotion in check even if she tried. Scully's frown softened.

"I can understand that," she mumbled with a soft tone. "Once we get there we have to set up at a café. I need to get into records of newly bought or rented houses, flats, old barns, the like." Rachel nodded. Finding Finn and Anna would most likely take some time as Scully hadn't been given an exact address. "And I need to send some other stuff as well," Scully added with a wicked smile. "Should buy us some time," she added with a chuckle.

"What are you going to do?" Rachel asked head bent to one side with curiosity. Scully's smile spread reminding Rachel of a wicked cat knowing its prey was already caught and didn't know it yet.

"I got some very sensitive files. I threatened Rebecca with going public with it if she didn't give me that information I wanted. She sent her stupid husband after me. That was a mistake. I will publish this like I promised. That'll give them something else to handle rather than keeping us from getting your daughter."

"So you like have the president on speed dial or something?" Scully raised an eyebrow and then started to laugh.

"No, sweetie. I have every News paper in the world. Then they'll be more than busy trying to contain this story. Reporters will be all over this. Should buy us enough time to get back home with Gracie."

"Is that illegal?"

"Yes. But it's more illegal what he did, don't you think?"

"I don't think the law works that way? That you can choose what you think is more illegal?"

"Actually you kind of can. Once the focus is on Adrian Stokes and what he did of corrupt things for his wife and her daughter, they will start to ask how many other things did he also do? There'll be an investigation into it all and he'll most likely have to resign. And then Puck and I will have been forgotten."

"Really?" Scully nodded.

"Besides this is what we do."

"What?"

"He never told you what he does, did he?" Rachel shook her head. "We investigate corruption within any of departments that lie under the government; law enforcement; FBI, Police, Homeland security, ect. Politicians, President, you name it. Like the secret internal affairs. Not known by many but feared by all," Scully added with a humorous chuckle.

"Wow. I thought he'd be like a spy or something."

"You can say we're national spies. Limited to investigate within the US of A."

Rachel nodded. Nothing like James Bond, she figured. She felt that role would however much of a childish fantasy would have fitted him quite well. The thought made her smile. Noah dressed in a stylish suit asking for a martini – shaken not stirred. Whatever the difference was anyway. But she did like internal array of images of him in a tux. The trip seemed to go a little faster with fantasies of him looking smart even if she did prefer him in jeans and a formfitting t-shirt that brought out his muscles and fine body.

When the train stopped in Nottingham, they got off. Scully appeared edgy and paranoid; looking around them all the time scanning the crowd constantly.

"What are you looking for?"

"You don't think the US and UK work together on matters of national security?" Rachel hadn't even thought of that. She had figured leaving the US they were safe but of course the international world worked together. Anxiety hit her like a fever. She started to look around as well. Were anybody looking at them? Anyone in suits? Anyone looking like a spy?

Exiting the building and venturing out into the street two Policemen came walking up the street and Rachel froze stopping in the street.

"Oh God, oh God. They're gonna catch us," she squeaked attracting the attention of the two men who gave each other a glance. Fuck, fuck, fuck! What was she gonna do?

"Stop being an idiot," Scully hissed. "Two Policemen? Come on! They'd send Scotland Yard or MI5 or something more fancy. Quit looking like you're dying." Rachel tore her eyes from the Policemen and looked at Scully.

"You sure?"

Scully nodded.

"Yes! For fucks sake. Look normal."

"Sorry ma'am. Are you alright?" One of the Policemen called to them. Rachel looked back at him swallowing hard.

"Yes," she said overly bright. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Cos you look very nervous. Are you afraid of something, love?" They came up to them and almost went Rachel wild with panic. She wanted to run.

"She's just a bit sick from a long journey, officers," Scully cut in with a sweet smile. The two looked at her assessing her. They'd know! They'd know they should arrest them and it would all be lost. Rachel started to look up and down the street for a way of escape. "Actually. We need to rent a car. Can you tell us where we could do that?"

The one Police officer started to explain the way as Scully flirtingly nodded. The other officer kept looking at Rachel who kept looking to get away. She didn't really listen to Scully and the Police officer but when Scully pushed her along with her, Rachel felt relief flood her. They were getting away. They walked a few yards as the two police officers stared after them and Scully have a wink over her shoulder. When they finally rounded a corner, Scully turned to Rachel.

"Please don't ever become a spy. My God!"

Rachel glanced over her shoulder.

"I was sure they'd take us with them and torture us."

"This is the UK," Scully replied dryly. "Not eastern China or something. Relax."

They walked the 10 minutes to the car rental and then rented a car. Scully didn't seem to have any trouble navigating the streets driving on the left. She cursed a few times but otherwise maneuvered the vehicle without problems. Rachel stared out the widow taking in the city. Her daughter was here somewhere. Little Gracie was here in this rainy country with Finn and Anna forever whisked away from Rachel to live a completely different life. But they were here now to find her and Rachel felt hope rise the more time she spent in the company of Scully.

After a while Scully parked the car. Unbuckling her seatbelt she bolted from the car as if she felt trapped and fresh air would render her free from the confinement of the car. It struck Rachel Scully had seemed to be on edge since the moment she'd grabbed Rachel. Never relaxing and she never stopped looking around her. Paranoia had to be a diagnosis needed for a job like hers, Rachel figured as she stepped out of the car. They crossed the street and walked into a Starbucks.

"I'll have a frappochino with coffee and extra whipped cream," Scully said absentmindedly and left Rachel to order as she walked up the stairs to the top floor where there were also seats. Rachel shrugged and figured it to be fair enough she handled the orders. Standing in line she took in the small coffee bar. Not many people were there. They were probably at work like most other people on Tuesday in the middle of the afternoon.

Placing the order she made to carefully order what Scully wanted. The young girl behind the counter didn't look twice at Rachel but curtly took the order and Rachel paid. Waiting to get her order, she took in the few people in the room. There were two high school girls chatting at the back, giggling over the one girl's mobile. A woman about the same age as Rachel sat at a table in the middle typing away at her laptop and a man sat at the very back in a corner. He was looking at her and Rachel quickly looked down at her fingers.

"Two frappochinos," the sales girl said almost making Rachel jump.

"Thanks," Rachel said and quickly gathered up her drinks. She hurried up the stairs to rejoin Scully who had set up in the far corner with her head in her laptop. Rachel placed her drink in front of her and sat down so she could face the room. She decided that if the man came up she'd tell Scully he'd been looking at her. It might have been harmless checking her out but she felt paranoid and in the brink of panic and being looked only made it worse. Ignored was preferred she decided as she took a nervous sip of her drink.

"This will take a good deal of time. But you have to be ready to get up and leave fast but in a natural way. Like we were waiting on someone that has arrived." Rachel nodded readying in herself to act it out. She went over the various ways of getting up in a hurried but relaxed fashion. She'd acted it out many a time in front of the camera and gritting her teeth she made up her mind she could act out here in the real world as well. How acting and her career seemed useless and hollow in that moment.

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><p>The door slammed behind her as Anna yelled after her with a booming voice raised to a high pitched shriek as she channeled her frustrations on the little girl she had soon become less and less attached to. Finn was out and she had been left with the child – again. He was shopping being the one looking least like his old self and paranoia still flooded their lives daily. Both adults high strung, fighting and never resting easily.<p>

Gracie sighed as a single tear rolled down her face. It was unbearable for her to be here. They were never calm, always jittery and angry. Angry with her and each other.

She took up seat on her swing again peering over the fence; at freedom. She might not know much but she knew this wasn't good. This wasn't normal. Shouldn't they be happy? Mommy was usually happy or at least less angry with her. Even if Mommy yelled at other people she only really yelled at Gracie if she'd been really bad.

Up and down, back and forth; the neighboring yard clearly showed every time she reached the top. It was bare of anything but soft-looking grass. She tried to imagine landing on it, letting go of the swing and sail through the air to gracefully dump down and be free. She felt sure Anna wasn't looking at her. Most likely just gone to the living room to watch TV. She did that a lot, Gracie had noted.

She made more effort to swing higher preparing in her mind to jump. She was longing to do it. She would find her mother and be home. She could tell someone. Everybody knew her mother. They would know her and take her home.

On a whim she let go. Her heart in her throat as she sailed through the air, over the fence and then tumbled to the ground as she landed. It was nothing like what she'd imagined falling would be. In the cartoons they always got up but now she had the wind knocked out of her as she had landed on her feet but the force of the jump had made her fall on her face. She lied there fighting her first instinct to cry and call for her mummy. It hurt but she knew that would alarm Anna and she wasn't sure Anna would much like her idea.

She lay there for a good 10 minutes straining to regain her breath when then finally her lunges felt normal, her stomach still hurt but she knew her mommy would make it better if only she found her. It would all be good again – she just had to get away from Anna and get her mommy.

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><p>Leaving Starbucks Rachel had regained her composure after the meeting with the Police and the man staring at them. She felt more calm as they got in the car. When in the car Rachel couldn't stay quiet any more.<p>

"What did you find?"

"I have a list of newly occupied addresses. Anyone who have moved into any house or flat in the last week. We're gonna have to go look and knock on doors."

Rachel finally felt like she could do something.

"Shall we split up?" Scully shook her head no.

"No. We'll stay together. What would you do if either Finn or Anna opens the door?" Rachel shrugged.

"I can take on Anna," she with a confidence.

"But not Finn. That's where you need me. You stay behind and I press the door bells. They don't know me. Less hassles and we can't just force our way into the house and steal her away. We will be arrested before we leave the city."

Rachel nodded again. That was true.

"Then what?"

"I will pose as Jehovah's witness and call on all the addresses till we find them. Then we leave as they most likely will close the doors on us. Or I hope they will. Then we wait and plan depending on the house or flat. We have to take Gracie with enough time to leave the country. Once back in the US you will have custody and it's unlikely they will follow us. Both will be facing charges of kidnapping." Rachel nodded. This was risky; she could hear they'd have to break into a house or flat and steal Gracie from under their noses and flee like they were in the wrong.

"Couldn't we just call the Police here and let them deal with it? The UK must have a deal with the US to hand out criminals."

"I suppose," Scully mumbled. "But we run the risk of them moving Gracie. They have contacts that can clearly have them around the world in a few days with papers and everything. This will ensure you get Gracie. And once on American soil, you have every right to your child. Every document in order and Finn and Anna will be considered criminals and once I have exposed the conspiracy of this whole mess, you will have nothing to fear but the overwhelming love and adoration of your fans, fighting off the movie rights or selling them," Scully added with distain. "You'll be able to keep Gracie."

"I won't make a movie over this," Rachel said in a low shameful voice. "I'd never want to put myself, my daughter or this whole mess to the dissection of Hollywood. The press itself will be enough." Scully turned to look at her for the first time since they had met she seemed to regard Rachel with some respect.

"Good."

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><p>Gracie had walked around the house that didn't have a closed off yard but instead an open front lawn with a small bed of roses to ward of dogs and the like but with a small entrance in the middle. Easily opened, Gracie found herself free and able to run down the street. She turned every corner she could, avoiding anyone who looked at her should anyone try to talk to her or look like they'd walk up to her, she ran or turned a corner. She needed to find a Police officer and tell him her story. Tell him she needed to go home and away from Anna. She'd regret leaving Daddy but she felt sure she'd see him once reunited with mommy. Everything would go back to normal. It had to be Anna who was bad. Daddy had never been like this before.<p>

"Hey little lady," someone all of the sudden called after. She'd been walking for what felt like forever her short legs tiring already. She was used to walking and she loved playing outside for hours but trudging on like this was hard work for a 4-year-old. She turned to see who was calling after her panicked she'd be stopped. It was an elderly man with a black hat on and a crutch. She was sure she could run from him. "What are you doing out without your mommy or daddy?" He asked with a kind soft voice inviting trust making her stay – for now. She peered around her still uncomfortable and not answering his question. "Eh, little madam?" He opted again trying to draw an answer from her. "A little girl like you shouldn't be walking alone on these streets," he said with a frown looking around as if to locate her parents. What if Anna had followed her?

"I have to go," she said quickly the few words rushing out of her and then she set off down the street again leaving the elderly man staring after her. He didn't however just stand there but set out after with an even pace and as she peered over her shoulder it dawned on her that he wasn't as slow as she'd figured. He wasn't capable of running but he would keep up with her with a comfortable ease.

She had no options of outrunning him. At home she'd know where to go but here she was lost.

"I won't harm you," he called after her.

"My mommy said bad men would say that," she called back the uneasiness seeping into her voice even if she didn't want it to.

"You need help, don't you?" He asked with an empathic look in his grey eyes. She shook her head.

"No, I'll find a Police officer," she said with the confidence of her age.

"You need a Police officer?" She frowned deeply but didn't come closer even as it was clear he was worried.

"I-" She stopped and opted to run. Or maybe get close to him and kick the crutch so she could run.

"I will help you," he said. "I know where the Police station is."

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><p>Four doors and no luck. Scully posed as a rather brilliant Jehovah's witness and not a single person would even talk to her for more than 2 minutes saving them the time of putting on a real sham. Rachel felt an odd confidence in Scully and her plan but also her stomach kept making flip flops as she thought about what she was about to do. She was going to steal her own child and abduct her out of the country just like Finn had done. Scully had all the papers in order ready. They'd leave this country faster than the queen and be back in the US before tomorrow. Then she could again worry about Puck. Scully had said they'd land in Washington and make sure they'd be seen there. The world had to know they had Gracie and Rachel would have to thank the FBI for their work on this case as the crisis of her being unraveled would roll over the bureau Scully found it hard to believe that Gracie and her mother would matter much and the FBI would almost certainly be eager to close case.<p>

Rachel was definitely feeling it was going her way. Scully pulled to a small house in a row of other houses all connected with each other forming a wall of houses all with small front yards and a variety of small low fences. Rachel ducked to the back as Scully got out and fixing her shirt Scully primly walked up the pathway books in hand and the most serene and forthcoming look on her pale face she could muster.

Before she even reached the door it was pulled open and a wild looking Anna peered out.

"Have you seen a little blonde girl? Her father is going to kill me!" She muttered under her breath as she looked up and down the street frantically. "He'll be home any minute now."

Rachel held her breath. To a stranger Anna might look different but to her she was easily recognizable and it took everything inside her to stay put. Every last ounce of will not to pounce her and force to give over Gracie. She couldn't hear what Anna said but she seemed confused and disoriented peering madly to each and every side. Scully shook her head and apologized before she turned back to the car and quickly got in.

"The girl has run off," was all she said before speeding down the road.

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><p><strong>Sooo what do ya think?<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Hellooooo...so it took me a long time again to write. Thanks as always for your reviews and for reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

"Run off? What do you mean run off?" Rachel's voice was screeching in the small cabin of the car.

"Gracie ran away. Today," Scully answered more calmly than Rachel would ever have been able to considering the events.

"That bitch couldn't even keep her with them?" Rachel's eyes turned to the streets with panic. Her little girl wasn't even with Anna and Finn but out there in the middle of a big town on her own. How could Finn ever let anything like this happen? Why take Gracie only to mistreat her and let her run the streets? Her heart sank with sorrow.

"Guess not. But look we need to find her. If we do then all we have to do is get the hell out of here."

"But she could be anywhere," Rachel whined.

"Not really," Scully said calmly. "She's four and her legs are short. She'll get tired fairly quickly. We should split up." Scully stopped the car pulling over near a sign that read Bobbers Mill Road. "You go on foot between the houses. Ask people if they've seen a small girl walking on her own. Go towards town. I'll try the other way." Rachel jumped out of the car. It would be better to move on her own two feet than sit one more minute stuffed in the car not being of any help. She nodded.

"How will you find me again?"

"Call my number from a pay phone," Scully quickly wrote down the number and even added some coins. "Hurry," she said before closing the door and leaving Rachel on her own. Rachel didn't hesitate to turn the first corner and follow a road with houses. She peered from side to side all the time looking for both any sigh of Gracie as well as people to ask if they'd seen the little girl. Her guts twisting with fear that something had already happened to her or would happen. She could have been run over, fallen, been taken by someone new. The scenarios in her head was making her sick and feverishly sweating with terror. She had to find Gracie. Turning down a path clearly not for cars she passed a football field with a few kids playing on it. None had noticed Gracie.

Maybe she hadn't even walked this way? The doubt gnawing at her she found it hard to decide where to go. Should she go back? Take a different route? Where would her daughter go? If she'd come this way Rachel felt sure she'd been drawn to the secluded and car free pathway.

She kept going. She had to go somewhere, right? And this was better than standing around doing nothing for sure. Weaving in between a few houses she made it out a big road and just in front of her on the side a big parking lot. Parking lots usually meant shops. Shops meant people. Gracie would for certain go there for help. Rachel crossed the street and a bit further down she was met by a building clearly with shops; a supermarket and other shops.

She felt without a doubt Gracie had been here. She'd have known to go where there were other people. People to tell and to get her to her mother. Gracie had been lost once before on set. Rachel mad with worry that the little girl had been taken or had fallen from somewhere was almost unable to function but Gracie had; she had found someone who looked trustable and then she'd told him where she had to go. She'd found her way back with the help of an elderly man.

Remembering the episode she at least felt now she was doing better than the last time. But then again the initial shock had subsided now and the need to find her kid had settled in. A deep and incomparable need to take action. She walked around the big building looking down the road on the other side. Where would she go from here?

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><p>Gracie stepped from one foot to the other uncertain if trusting the elderly man would be something her mother would condone. Mummy had always said never to talk to strangers but that time when she'd been lost mummy had thanked the man and said she'd been smart to ask for help.<p>

"I have to get home to my mummy? Do you know her?" She asked hesitation flooding her vocal chords making her voice slightly shaky.

"Who is your mother?" He asked his hazel eyes trailed on her small form with a kind smile.

"Rachel Berry." The man's eye brows shot up in recognition.

"You're that girl they're writing about in the papers? That famous Hollywood lady? She your mother, little duck?"

Gracie nodded feeling relief washing over her. He knew her mom. He'd know how much she needed to get home then.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Let's go then." He walked up to her and offering her hand they walked down the street. A peak of sunshine breaking through the clouds casting pale shadows on the ground. His hand was big and strong. She looked at it and her own in his hand. Her hand was tiny in it. His big and darkened from the sun with smooth skin. His nails short and clean. Mummy said it was important to have clean hands.

He walked at a steady pace allowing her to follow and not dragging her along like a lot of her other grown-ups did. Sometimes even mummy. Most grown-ups were in a hurry all the time. She didn't understand why but they were. Too little time to play. But this man seemed to have plenty of time.

They walked back to where she'd come from and crossing a parking lot she saw a mall she'd passed on her way. The man pointed to the other side. "We'll find an officer in there," he said. "I hope," he added almost as an afterthought. Or we'll walk to the Police station." Gracie nodded.

"Okay."

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><p>Rachel felt certain Gracie would seek this place out. She'd look for help in a crowd and Rachel stayed asking people if they'd seen her. No one had seen the little girl walking alone. Every no she got Rachel felt the string of doubt and possible failure being pulled in her chest. Like a constricting corset threatening to strangle her if she didn't find her little girl soon.<p>

She had walked back and forth in front of the building but now stood looking around letting her eyes scan the streets; people milling in and out of the small centre, crossing the street, going to and from their cars. Not even the smallest sign of her little girl. She felt bile rise in her throat and chided herself for feeling like this. What had she expected? That Gracie would stand waiting for her in front of a shop? That only happened in movies and those had a writer to write up the happy ending. This was real life. She was standing here facing a very real reality; her daughter had been stolen and then run away and finding her was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Her shoulders stumped in automatic resign. Shielding her eyes with her hair she allowed herself a minute to regain her composure. Catching her breath that had threatened to run wild with superficial and uneven gulps of air, she looked at her feet counting to 10 in her head. Very slowly breathing in with each number: 1 – breather. Leave the sorrow behind. 2 – breathe. Focus. 3 – breathe. Stop the tears threatening. 4 – breathe. Swallow the lump. 5 – breathe. Let go of tension. 6 – breathe. Straighten up. 7 – breathe. Think about what you can actually do. 8 – breathe. Look around. 9 – breathe. Remember you can never give up. 10 – breathe. Leave this place and the feeling of helplessness behind and go find our daughter.

She set herself into motion mentally letting her grief, worry, sorrow and helplessness stand in the spot where she'd just stood refusing to carry it with her. Refusing to give up. There was no choice; she had to go on. She had to keep looking till she had Gracie.

A figure stood on the other side of the road. A figure with a hollow and grief-stricken aura hanging around her. Standing looking down at her feet the long brown hair hiding her face, Gracie stopped the elderly man and refused to walk any further. Something about that woman was so familiar and yet so strange she had to stop and keep looking at her. She had to see her face. The woman seemed to be sobbing or at least finding it hard to control her breathing. She stood hunched and sagging unresponsive to the people around her giving her questioning looks of concern. She stood like that for a long time and Gracie watching her.

Then all of the sudden the woman looked up and Gracie's call left her mouth unable to be held back by anything.

"Mummy!" She let go of the elderly man's hand and ran out onto the street unthinking about the cars that pulled to stops with screeching tires leaving long skid marks on the grey asphalt. People sticking out their heads off the windows and yelling at her but Gracie neither cared nor heard them. Her mummy was right there. She'd come! She'd come to get her. To save her. She could go home again.

A car door opened and out of the corner of her eye Gracie saw Anna and her dad exiting the car.

"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" She screamed at Rachel who had now turned around trying to locate her. Why didn't she see her? Come to her? If daddy got to her she knew she'd never see her mummy again. She couldn't explain how she knew but she just did. This was her last and only chance.

She sped up racing across the road hearing the car horn but not stopping. She had to get across.

The call of the most familiar voice in Rachel's life pulled her out her new calm. She turned around looking around her frantically. Where was she? Up the street, down the street. There was no dark curls bobbing up and down to greet her as Gracie ran. But she could clearly hear her.

Then the terrible sound of tires sliding over asphalt as the breaks was being stepped on hard told her her child had to be on the road. It was like a bell of doom. Her eyes jumped around looking for the dark curls but there was none. A car stopped only just missing a little blond girl. A little blond girl sounding like Gracie. But her Gracie wasn't blond. Confusion held her back unable to put two and two together that Anna and Finn had the girl's hair done.

She saw the car one second too late as the little girl screaming for her ran in front of it. Diving in Rachel finally sprang into action. Sprinting like she had never in her life thought herself capable of she ran directly for the accident about to happen determined to act. No plan formed. Only reaction to her child being in danger and she threw herself off the curb hurling her body in front of the car with her arms in front of her to push her away. Away from harm's way uncaring of herself.

Gracie flew a meter over the hard asphalt well out of the car's way, rolling over on her side curling up in pain as her head had hit the ground. She didn't cry though but turned her head to see her mother being torpedoed by the car. Rachel hanging mid air as the car hit her was thrown up over the front and up over the glass with a hollow thump. Every sound left the world as Gracie watched. She didn't hear her own scream as she watched in horror her mother sacrifice herself. She didn't register her father screaming, too standing behind her stopping to watch the horrible devastation of Rachel's body.

The car pulled to a halt a few meters after and Rachel's lifeless body rolled down in front of the car and landing on the hard ground with a final thump. She didn't move. For a second no one did anything. Shock spreading around the people who'd been involuntary spectators to the tragedy until the driver of the car leapt out of the car horror on his young face.

"Someone call an ambulance," he yelled and the crowd finally jumped into action.

Finn looked down at Gracie and then up to Rachel and felt a not completely unfamiliar feeling of segregation from the two. It had always been Rachel and Gracie. Never one or the other. What had he done to them? Tears sprang to his eyes as he bent down and scooped up the child in his arms. She'd had her eyes fixed on Rachel all the time screaming and now she started to thrash in his arms screaming 'mummy' over and over.

Anna appeared at his side.

"We have to go," she hissed pulling his arm. He couldn't move. Go? How? How could he leave? He shook his head slowly eyes still on Rachel, holding onto Gracie to keep her from falling to the ground yet again. Anna pulled even harder. "Finn, we can't stay. Remember?" her voice turned to panic. Was she not concerned about Rachel? She could be dead. Where on earth could he ever go from here? There was no place in this world that would allow him to escape this nightmare if he left now. He shook his head no. "Finn. We'll be caught," she hissed so low only the three of them could hear it. Finn shook his head again a man appeared next to him.

"I can't."

"What?" Anna didn't try to conceal her distain.

"I have to stay. Rachel needs…"

"Rachel needs..? What? You?" She said back a sarcastic little laugh. "She'll have you thrown in jail." Gracie turned in his arms giving up thrashing as the vague sound of an ambulance in the distance started to register. She looked up at him with a tired look in her eyes of mistrust and resign which made him almost drop her. This was his own child and she was looking at him like he was a stranger. He realized he'd broken something he would never be allowed to fix. He had made a wrong decision doing this.

A voice broke in as Puck stepped out in front of him.

"She's right. You should have stayed and filed for divorce. Run and I won't follow you," Puck's voice was hard and unforgiving. "If she won't follow you, I will if you don't get the fuck away from here and leave Gracie with Rachel. You fucked up. Now fuck off." Finn looked down at Gracie. Puck was right. He kissed Gracie's forehead and whispered 'I'm sorry' and then handed Gracie over to Puck.


	12. Chapter 12

**Aww thanks for the amazng reviews! I'm just really happy you're enjoying this story :) This will the second last chapter of this story. I will post the next tonight or tomorrow :) Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 11 <strong>

As Puck watched Finn and Anna leave he was left with an even bigger dilemma. What should they do now? There was obviously no doubt that Rachel needed a hospital but she was in the country with false papers and that would pose more than one problem when they had to explain this to the hospital staff. They couldn't just give over the real papers at the hospital, could they? Would questions be asked when her identity was found out? And even if Anna and Finn had left, who said they wouldn't return? With the whole of the FBI with them? This could end up a right cat-fight.

Scully came up next to him.

"There's only one way," she said slowly with a quiet voice. He turned to her Gracie clinging to him like a small monkey to its mother. "I take Gracie with me back." Gracie tightened her hold on his neck and sobbed. He instinctively tightened his hold as well. "Listen to me," Scully said with haste as her eyes flitted around the scene. "If she is back in US no one can claim her. Here it's a different matter. We're all here under false pretence. One thing with you and Rachel. They'll send you back home but Gracie? That will be a right circus. That girl will be in foster care and what not before this is all cleared up." Scully's eyes were soft and full of empathy. "Neither of you want her to go through that, trust me." Puck looked down at Gracie's now blond curls and kissed her hair. He hated that he had to let go. She wouldn't understand this. All she wanted was her mother. "This is the right thing to do, Puck," she put a hand on his arm. "I'll be back in the US by morning and she'll be safe with her nanny."

Puck turned to her confused but then shook his head.

"No. You're keeping her then." Scully shook her head.

"I can't. To get here I stirred a shitpot and I have to ride that storm out. You have any idea how much shit I have to take from the boss?" She asked with an almost humours smile. He looked down at Gracie.

"I can't let her just go from hand to hand. She's been through enough already. I can't let this happen to her." He looked at Rachel who now had two medics around her doing all they could to scoop her up. She looked so frail and his heart started beating twice as fast in fear they'd declare her dead. He wouldn't be able to live with that. He sank the lump forming in his throat threatening to choke him. He had to be strong for her. For Gracie. He had to make a decision and fast. He looked at Scully who averted her eyes from looking directly at Rachel but instead took in all the people around standing looking, quietly speaking with each other and even some videotaping it all. He'd get a fortune for it if he ever figured out who he'd caught, she mused.

"I have to go back with her. You stay here," he finally said and her eyes flew to his face surprise clear in her grey eyes.

"Me? You want Rachel to wake up with me next to her?" She asked in disbelief. "Me?" He nodded with determination but a pained expression etched on his sift features.

"She' understand it was more important to be with Gracie. She'd been through a lot," he sighed. "It's probably better that you're here anyway. Once they figure out who Rachel is she'll be guarded like a queen before they deport her." Scully nodded with a grave expression. This felt like an odd goodbye that held more meaning than any other. She had a feeling this would their last mission together. His mission from now on was the little bundle in his arms and the broken woman being put into the ambulance. "Go," he whispered with envy.

"It's all in there to get her home safe," giving him the keys she closed her hands over his in a meaningful manner as if to convey her goodbye. He nodded and squeezed her hand back.

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><p>He landed in LAX 14 hours later. Getting a fight out had been a little difficult as most flights were full but in the end he'd gotten one and as they had lifted off from the ground he drew a breath of both sadness and relief. If all he could do for Rachel was to take care and keep Gracie safe for now that was what he would do. He knew she'd want him to. She'd want her daughter to be in familiar hands and not be handed to Scully – a perfect stranger to the girl – and then to her nanny. Even if the nanny did know Gracie better than most, he knew it wouldn't be good enough. Rachel would be angry and disappointed in his choice. Also if Scully really did have to ride a shit storm like he had a feeling she did, having Gracie near even for a short time seemed like a plan that could back-fire any time and the girl would end up a hostage of the authorities to demonstrate their power. Even if Scully had indeed exposed Stokes in connection to Rahcel and Gracie, he'd hate for them to further involved as they had no connection to the case other than it had been Anna who took Gracie.<p>

He sighed and rubbed Gracie's back as they walked out of the airport. He quickly hailed a cab and uncaring of the price told the driver where he had to go. He had contemplated to go to the small apartment in New York but even he needed some sunshine to soak up the horrible events and the dread of Rachel condition. He flicked out his phone and called Scully's number.

After a few rings Scully picked up. He didn't bother with anything but what he needed to know.

"How is she?"

"Well, hello to you, too," she answered wryly but he didn't bark a hello or even acknowledge her further. Eventually Scully sighed and gave in. "She's good under the circumstances. The car hit her on her hip. It fractured her hip and pelvis and her leg is broken in two places. She dislocated her shoulder and have a severe concussion. She hasn't woken since she got out of surgery," Scully said sounded deflated and tired. "They're not sure how bad the swelling in her brain is. They're taking her down for an CAT in an hour."

"Thanks," he said curtly. He didn't know why he was being this grumpy with Scully now. She'd done everything she could to help. "I'll call you back when I get to Rachel's house, okay?"

"M'sure," Scully answered tiredly. "Talk to soon." The line went dead and he pocketed the phone.

He called Scully as they got in at home and she could only replay that Rachel's brain had swelled up from the outer trauma she'd suffered. There was nothing they could do but wait. So that's what they did. He called Scully three times a day for two days in between taking care of Gracie. The poor woman had to answer to both him and the authorities in the UK. His questions he feared were the worst; demanding and harsh. He needed to know every little thing about Rachel and how she was as the guilt ate away at him. He felt so bad for leaving her he hardly ate sick with worry and feeling he should be the one by her bedside, not Scully. He knew he'd made the decision himself and that entailed having to live with that for the sake of Gracie.

The girl was coping surprisingly well. Once settled at home she asked about her mummy a lot but accepted his answer and he told as much as he could of what Scully told him he felt was suited for the ears of a 4-year-old. Which was that her mother was still sleeping in the hospital and the doctors couldn't do much but wait for her to wake – so they had to do the same. Gracie sorrowfully accepted his answers and explanations. He found her grief odd and curved; one minute she was wailing for her mummy and the next she would sit with her dolls and play, laugh at the TV or run down the sandy beach giggling at the waves.

After the first week Rachel's dad came; Hiram but LeRoy remained in the UK to sit by Rachel's bedside. It made it a little easier and it meant Scully could finally go home. Not that she did; instead she stayed on in Europe at the request of their boss as he rode out the scandal. He put it this way; "I don't need neither of you two to stick another stick in this ant farm." So Scully hid in Europe and he was sure she pretended to be a lot of things the month she stayed away but he wasn't too concerned. He'd see her soon enough.

Having Hiram around made a lot of things easier; he was much better with Gracie and it gave Puck time to think about it all. He formed a clear plan for when Rachel came home. It all had to change. He needed to be with her. He didn't care if he was to be chained to a boring as hell desk job in LA as long as they were together; this was his family and nothing but a no from her would deter his determination to keep it that way. He wanted to marry her, have children with her and love her till he could love no more. Simple as that. He'd waited for her for so long he ached to hold her, kiss her and of course to rip the clothes of her body and make passionate love or whatever lame ass word you'd choose to call it; he just wanted it all.

But as the days turned into weeks and the first month passed he stopped feeling so sure it would ever be like that; maybe she'd wake up and her brain would be totally fried? Or she'd never wake? Or she'd be a cripple pushing everyone from her in a disdain of herself and her situation? He could hardly bare if she was to be a bitter cripple. Or if her mind was broken forever.

As she lay in the hospital bed and as long as her brain was swelling there was nothing the doctors could or would do; she needed to heal on her own and only if it became a threat to her health would they operate and go alleviate some pressure in her brain. But nothing did happen. Nothing. She just lied there, breathing in and breathing out. LeRoy called every day on Skype showing Rachel to them. She looked pale and frail. Not like she'd been when they hunted Finn and Anna; but frail as in bordering on life and death frail. His heart turned in his chest from pain every time he saw her. There was nothing he could do for her; her last wish had been for Gracie to be safe and well. She had made a choice. A choice he hated but respected. He'd have done the same.

There would be no life to live for her had Gracie been the one run over by the car. Nothing would ever replace the guilt that would ensue as she would have known she could saved her daughter and did nothing. He understood but he hated it. It meant his beautiful and lovely Rachel lay reduced to a shell barely clinging to life. Her always tanned skin white almost ashen. He could tell it hurt Hiram just as much but the worst was Gracie; she'd lean forward and trace the screen calling for her mummy. She didn't understand why her mother wouldn't wake and after the few first times LeRoy didn't call when Gracie was up. Neither could stand the child's sorrowful sobs when Rachel didn't wake.

Puck would often leave as well not being able to hold back tears. He walked down the beach lonely and heart-sick. He felt powerless and unimportant. Always he'd be able to do something – often choosing not to but that was different. Not doing anything and being able to nothing. It tore at him. He found no real peace in the task of child-minding even if he knew that's what Rachel would have wanted.

As they drew to a second month Rachel was moved to US. The doctors deemed her strong enough and after a long journey; LeRoy, Rachel and as much press as had attended the last royal wedding arrived at Malibu Hyperbaric Medical Centre. As the swelling had gone they'd use the hyperbaric chamber to try and wake Rachel. It was a hope that it would help Rachel's brain heal.

The first time he went to see her it took his breath away; she was so skinny now. She'd always been petite like freaking tiny but now she seemed like she was a 100 years old, small like a child and frail like death lingered on her skin. He didn't like being in that room with her. That person wasn't his Rachel. But he stayed, held her hand and sang to her. Every time he brought his guitar and sang to her. He did it partly because he didn't know what else to do and couldn't stand looking at her and because he knew she liked when he sang. She always had and she had bugged him endlessly to keep his voice just a little bit trained. She had closed her eyes every time he sang to her and listened. Not breaking his singing up with her voice but just let his voice soothe her. So he figured he'd do that for her now as well. Try to sing her back to him.

He came every day for two weeks hoping every time that it would be like in the movies; she'd wake to the sound of his voice and lie there smiling up at him. But the thing was; life wasn't like in the movies very often. She didn't wake, there were no machines that beeped to indicate that she had heard him from the mysterious other side. She just lay there breathing calmly ignoring the outer world for her inner sanctum.

There more he saw her the more a sense of finality settled over him. Eventually he had to stop, didn't he? He had to pick up life after her and do something with it all. He couldn't sit around and wait forever. He didn't want to give up on her. Didn't want to leave and never look back but waiting was killing him. He wandered around feeling a heart-gripping sorrow that threatened to strike him to the ground all the time. At times he caught himself wondering if it wouldn't be for the best that she died but he knew it was because he didn't want to be the one to walk away from her. He knew it would break him if he had to. So he kept coming even if he felt like his heart was chipped away every time he saw her.

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><p>The first sound she heard was a series of beeps. The noise annoyed her instantly. She struggled to hold onto the annoyance to wake fully. She felt like a veil was all around her keeping her from really waking. Like a spider's web; thin and sticking to her in sticky threads but impossible to see or get hold off. She stirred to try waking then she remembered that all she had to do was open her eyes.<p>

Everything was too bright to see at first. He eyes so shy of the light she closed them again. She didn't allow her eyes much time to rest but started to blink as to allow them a gradual doze and eventually the room came into focus. She had no idea where she was but the machines, the bed and all the white around her told she was in a hospital. But where?

She wanted to sit up but er body was limp and unwilling. Her muscles were weak and she felt them strain to accommodate her request but unable to lift her fully she had give up and lie down. She wiggled her fingers slowly, then her hand, arm, feet and legs. Feeling her body again. It was like meeting a childhood friend; familiar yet a stranger.

The machine kept beeping and all of the sudden a nurse opened the door with a hurried expression and without looking at the patient she went to the machine and turned it off with an annoyed huff as she muttered a curse about the machine should stop raising false alarm.

When the beeping stopped Rachel's annoyance disappeared and she sighed feeling relived she didn't have to try and reach it herself and figure out how to turn it off. The nurse spun around and looked down at her wide eyes.

"Thank you," Rachel said with a raspy voice so low she wasn't even sure the nurse could hear her. The nurse covered her surprise with a smile.

"Miss Berry, you're awake," she said with an excited voice. Rachel nodded feeling that the nurse stated the obvious.

"Where am I?"

"You're at the Malibu Hyperbaric Medical Centre," the nurse chirped happily. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm thirsty," was Rachel simple answer. The nurse nodded and poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.

"I'm just gonna call a doctor. He'll come check on you. And I'll go call your family." Rachel didn't have to time answer before the energetic nurse had left the room leaving Rachel on her own again. It didn't take very long before two doctors came in. A man and a woman introducing themselves as her doctors; Lauren Jensen and Gerry Clark. She nodded politely. She had only one question but let them examine her hoping they would answer it without her asking.

"Your legs are healed up just fine. You'll soon start physio and you should be walking in no time. We need to do some tests before you can go home."

"What tests?" she croaked. The two doctors exchanged a look.

"Rachel, you had brain trauma and you have been in a coma for almost three months." Rachel stared at them blankly.

"Why?"

"You don't remember?" Rachel shook her head no. "You were in an accident where you were hit by a car. You fractured your hip and pelvis and broke your legs in two places. And you've had a severe concussion that made your brain swell which is why you've been in a coma." Rachel nodded a little taken back but it did explain why she was in a hospital. The doctors kept talking about treatment and what it would take for her to come back to her life as it had been. Rachel listened intently in the hope they'd answer the one question burning on her tongue but they didn't. They rattled off fancy doctor's talk explaining words she didn't understand but never explaining what she couldn't understand. Eventually they ran out of words and Gerry smiled at her.

"Do you have any questions?" Rachel sank the spit forming in her mouth her stomach turning. Fidgeting with the blanket she shook her head. She'd ask someone else. "Good. If you have any concerns or anything at all call the nurse and either myself or doctor Jensen will come as soon as we can. Okay Rachel?" Rachel nodded. "I think your family is here. Would you like to see them?" She looked up finally and nodded. He smiled reassuringly. "Good." They left her alone for a few minutes.

The door opened and Rachel stared at the people filing into the room; three men and a little girl. The one man considerably younger than the two others.

"Rachel baby," the one mad said as he quickly walked to her bed and took her hand tears in his eyes. "We thought you'd never..." he stopped himself as the other man put his hand on his shoulder stopping him. "Oh, never mind," he said with a small shrug and a sniff. "You're awake now. I can't tell you how we missed you." She stared at he man. Why couldn't she remember these people? The doctor had said they were her family but none of them looked like anyone she knew.

Rachel's eyes searched the small party and found the little girl's. The girl stared at her with a timid expression half hiding behind the younger man. She looked so familiar but Rachel couldn't place her. The girl was beautiful, she thought. Brown curls forming her small childish face with big brown eyes. From the way the girl looked at her she knew she should know her but she couldn't remember her. At all. No traces of memory to support her. She sank the lump forming. They all looked at her as the first man had fallen silent.

"Rachel?" The young man asked and she found his hazel eyes. "Do you know my name?" She thought for a long time but nothing came. Her mind was empty.

"No," she answered with a shaking voice her eyes filling with tears. From his facial expression she knew she should know him and that he knew her. Her eyes flitted to the little girl brows furrowed. "Is she your little girl?" The man shook his head.

"She's your little girl."


	13. Chapter 13

**For the first time I kept my promise to post :D This is the last chapter I hope you enjoy it. **

**It's been really cool writting this story and have you all along the way telling me what you think and mostly how much you like this story. Thank you very much for the compliments and for reading! You're AWESOME!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12 <strong>

They had told her who she was but she couldn't remember herself at all. Nothing registered with her. Her dads, Gracie or Puck. She felt helpless and sad she knew she was hurting them by not remembering them but no matter how much she pushed her brain to give up the information nothing happened. No light went on, only a head-ache.

The doctors told her it would most likely come back but that she had to relax. Not push it. Let it happen. Pick up her life where she'd stopped and the routine of everything would hopefully jog her memory. She had read countless articles about amnesia but they more or less told her the same. The medical centre offered to continue the hyperbaric treatment in the hope it would help her along.

She had several tests taken but nothing showed anything and she was sent home. They were all there with excited expressions as she entered the house. Her first thought about it was that it was ugly and why anybody would wanna live there. Nothing looked familiar. She recognized herself on countless family pictures, smiling with someone that wasn't Puck. She couldn't remember him either. The house didn't jog anything but her frustration. They tried to hide it but she could see they were disappointed.

They ate that night in an awkward silence only filled with polite request to pass some thing or the other. After dinner Puck tugged Gracie into bed and returned. They all sat fidgeting around her. She knew they'd breach a subject of something they didn't really want to.

She looked up at Puck; he was studying her face like he was trying to decide if he knew her, if she was the same person he used to know. She just looked back at him holding his gaze; letting him look and looking at him as well. He was quite attractive, she mused. She liked his soft and friendly eyes that held a naughty twinkle in them she found rather appealing. He had come to see her in the medical centre before she'd been sent home and explained that he'd been singing to her while she was in the coma. She'd found that sweetly endearing and he'd asked if she wanted to sing with him. She had caught on that it was partly out of an insecure need to fill a silence he had no clue to how else to fill. But she liked it. She liked what little she knew about him already. She could understand why they were friends.

"Rachel," her father broke the silence with a tense use of her name. "We need to talk." She turned to look at him instead of Puck even if she'd rather have kept looking at Puck. She nodded. She knew they did. She just wished she could tell them anything. It was clear that these three men had been through hell and back on her account. She supposed it was what was expected of parents to stick with their only baby but still she felt sad she had brought them pain and worry.

"I know," she answered acknowledging the need and LeRoy relaxed a bit.

"It's not that we want to, baby, but Daddy has to go back to work soon. We need to figure this situation out so that you can get better with the right care and people around you who can offer you the help you need. And the support," his eyes went to Puck. She read a respect from her father towards Puck and she liked it. "Puck wants to stay here in LA and so do I. But I have to go home soon, too, baby girl." Rachel thought for a moment.

"Don't you have to go home as well to something?" She gave Puck a grieved look. She didn't want him to have to go home. What if he had a girlfriend? Or a wife? She dismissed the thought instantly. None with a wife would stay on here like he had. His face at first turned angry but then he read her like an open book.

"No, babe. The most important thing to me is here. Don't worry." She held his gaze. His was filled with love and reassurance. Did he love her? But then who was the man in the pictures? She hadn't asked any of them about that. She didn't want to know really. She wanted to remember herself hating that they had to fill so many gaps for her. Well, all the gaps.

"Thank you," she said simply. He smiled and reached for her hand. His big one engulfing her smaller.

"No need to thank me. Of course I'll stay." She felt sad she couldn't return the love he clearly had for her. It wasn't fair on him. She nodded biting her lips to keep tears at bay. He was a good man. Even if she couldn't remember him the past two days told her he was.

"How do you feel, baby?" Hiram asked her his dark brow furrowed. He didn't want to leave but he knew she was in the best hands left with his partner and Puck. The boy clearly completely in love with his daughter. Hiram felt sure he was sitting in the room of his to be son in law. But before that could happen his baby girl had to regain her memory. He didn't dare think of what life for her would be like if she never did. She tore her eyes from Puck and let her sad brown eyes switch to his.

"I don't know, dad," she said hesitantly. "Will you come visit when you can?" He grabbed her other hand and held it tight.

"Of course. I'll be here every weekend. And when LeRoy have to come back to Lima as well, we'll come here every weekend. We're not abandoning you." She nodded taking a look around her family. She was clearly blessed with a loving family. She knew from the on-the-brink-of-tears-looks they were all giving her, she'd be fine. They'd help her.

"Then I'm okay with it," she said with a small smile.

* * *

><p>She sat in the same chair as she'd occupied in the days after Gracie had been taken unaware of the connection. She just liked to listen to the sea and stare down at the now dark beach. They had all gone to bed tired and worn out. She was tired, too. Her body telling her she had been walking too much. She had tossed and turned in her bed muscles aching and her bones hurting. The doctors had said it would take time. Time! She hated that word now. Time to heal, to remember. Time. She sighed and hugged herself.<p>

She flinched a bit and turned her head as the door form the kitchen opened but relaxed when she recognized Puck.

"What are you doing out here?" She shrugged.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Me neither," he confessed sitting down in the chair next to her. He looked out over the water. "I kept thinking about you," he confessed with a smile. "I keep doing that. My mind goes to you no matter what I do. I had this plan for when you came home," he turned his head and smiled at her. Her eyes were on him clinging to his every word. The power of her attraction to him was puzzling. How could she feel like this and there be another man on all the pictures with Gracie. There were none of her and Puck. Why? Had she been in love with Puck and still been with that other guy? What kind of person was she to do that? "I planned to propose to you and we'd live happily ever after; you, me and Gracie. And of course the kids we'd have."

"I'm sorry," she almost choked on the lump in her throat. "I can't remember if I'd have accepted that." She looked down at her hands wringing in her lap.

He got up and sat down in front of her lifting her chin with a finger. He held her gaze when she lifted her eyes to his.

"I know, babe. I know. But it doesn't matter." She sniffed and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Yes it does. If you're that much in love with me to want to spend the rest of your life with me...and I just don't remember it. What if I'll never remember?" He shook his head with a wistful smile that made her think of sex for some reason.

"It doesn't matter. You know why?" She shook her head as another tear rolled down her cheek. "Because you're alive and so am I. We're here now. So what if you don't remember? I'll make you fall in love with me all over again. And if you one day remember it all then it's great but if you never; then we'll make new memories of our own. I'm just happy you didn't die. This is our second and real chance." She sniffed and nodded.

"Okay. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. Just stick with this; that's thanks enough," he smiled cheekily. "Or we we could do in and see if a good roll in the hay wouldn't jog your memory?" She looked exasperated at him.

"Puck!" His grinned.

"Okay. I guess you didn't forget you're a right prude sometimes." She looked up at him with a half smile.

"Why do I have a feeling that I have to be around you?" He smiled.

"Not a clue, babe. Not a clue," he chuckled. She had a feeling he was lying and that she'd find out soon enough but for now he had sparked a hope in her. She hadn't looked at it all like he had. She was alive and she was well. She had a family that loved her. Even if she couldn't remember it all it was written all over their faces all the time. She could have died but she didn't. She had to grasp this by the horns and power through this. And Puck would be there right next to her and help her as well as her dads. And Gracie deserved a mother who gave it all. She leaned into him and kissed him on the cheek.

"You better be honest. One day I'll remember and all your cheeky lies will be revealed." He laughed and got up.

"I look forward to it."

**The End.**

* * *

><p><strong>I know this is a cruel ending but don't worry; this isn't the end of this. I wanna write a sequel but I don't think it fitted under the same title as this one as I plan for it to be a more romantic and almost pure Puckledberry (to make up for the lack of it in this story). I hope you will read that as well :) Thanks for reading and please leave a last comment on the way out :)<strong>


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